History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 10 | Page 4

realisms
oftenest contradictory enough, and sometimes of very grim complexion.
He is master of his work, he is adjusted to the practical conditions set
him; conditions once complied with, daily work done, he lives to the
Muses, to the spiritual improvements, to the social enjoyments; and has,
though not without flaws of ill-weather,--from the Tobacco-Parliament
perhaps rather less than formerly, and from the Finance-quarter perhaps
rather more,--a sunny time. His innocent insipidity of a Wife, too,
appears to have been happy. She had the charm of youth, of good looks;
a wholesome perfect loyalty of character withal; and did not "take to
pouting," as was once apprehended of her, but pleasantly gave and
received of what was going. This poor Crown- Princess, afterwards
Queen, has been heard, in her old age, reverting, in a touching transient
way, to the glad days she had at Reinsberg. Complaint openly was
never heard from her, in any kind of days; but these doubtless were the
best of her life.
Reinsberg, we said, is in the AMT Ruppin; naturally under the Crown-

Prince's government at present: the little Town or Village of Reinsberg
stands about, ten miles north of the Town Ruppin;-- not quite a
third-part as big as Ruppin is in our time, and much more pleasantly
situated. The country about is of comfortable, not unpicturesque
character; to be distinguished almost as beautiful, in that region of sand
and moor. Lakes abound in it; tilled fields; heights called "hills;" and
wood of fair growth,--one reads of "beech-avenues" of "high
linden-avenues:"--a country rather of the ornamented sort, before the
Prince with his improvements settled there. Many lakes and lakelets in
it, as usual hereabouts; the loitering waters straggle, all over that region,
into meshes of lakes. Reinsberg itself, Village and Schloss, stands on
the edge of a pleasant Lake, last of a mesh of such: the SUMMARY, or
outfall, of which, already here a good strong brook or stream, is called
the RHEIN, Rhyn or Rein; and gives name to the little place. We heard
of the Rein at Ruppin: it is there counted as a kind of river; still more,
twenty miles farther down, where it falls into the Havel, on its way to
the Elbe. The waters, I think, are drab-colored, not peat-brown: and
here, at the source, or outfall from that mesh of lakes, where Reinsberg
is, the country seems to be about the best;--sufficient, in
picturesqueness and otherwise, to satisfy a reasonable man.
The little Town is very old; but, till the Crown-Prince settled there, had
no peculiar vitality in it. I think there are now some potteries,
glass-manufactories: Friedrich Wilhelm, just while the Crown-Prince
was removing thither, settled a first Glass-work there; which took good
root, and rose to eminence in the crystal, Bohemian-crystal, white-glass,
cut-glass, and other commoner lines, in the Crown-Prince's time.
[ Bescheibung des Lutschlosses &c. zu Reinsberg
(Berlin, 1788); Author, a "Lieutenant Hennert," thoroughly acquainted
with his subject.]
Reinsberg stands on the east or southeast side of its pretty Lake: Lake
is called "the GRINERICK SEE" (as all those remote Lakes have their
names); Mansion is between the Town and Lake. A Mansion fronting,
we may say, four ways; for it is of quadrangular form, with a wet moat
from the Lake begirdling it, and has a spacious court for interior: but
the principal entrance is from the Town side; for the rest, the Building

is ashlar on all sides, front and rear. Stands there, handsomely abutting
on the Lake with two Towers, a Tower at each angle, which it has on
that lakeward side; and looks, over Reinsberg, and its steeple rising
amid friendly umbrage which hides the house-tops, towards the rising
sun. Townward there is room for a spacious esplanade; and then for the
stables, outbuildings, well masked; which still farther shut off the Town.
To this day, Reinsberg stands with the air of a solid respectable Edifice;
still massive, rain-tight, though long since deserted by the
Princeships,--by Friedrich nearly sixscore years ago, and nearly
threescore by Prince Henri, Brother of Friedrich's, who afterwards had
it. Last accounts I got were, of talk there had risen of planting an
extensive NORMAL-SCHOOL there; which promising plan had been
laid aside again for the time.
The old Schloss, residence of the Bredows and other feudal people for a
long while, had good solid masonry in it, and around it orchards,
potherb gardens; which Friedrich Wilhelm's Architects took good care
to extend and improve, not to throw away: the result of their art is what
we see, a beautiful Country-House, what might be called a
Country-Palace with all its adjuncts;--and at a rate of expense which
would fill English readers, of this time, with amazement. Much is
admirable to us as we study Reinsberg, what it