History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 11 | Page 9

seed of that kind at
Berlin; sets about it "on the second day of his reign," so eager is he.
Berlin had already some meagre INTELLIGENZ-BLATT (Weekly or
Thrice-Weekly Advertiser), perhaps two; but it is a real Newspaper,
frondent with genial leafy speculation, and food for the mind, that
Friedrich is intent upon: a "Literary-Political Newspaper," or were it
even two Newspapers, one French, one German; and he rapidly makes
the arrangements for it; despatches Jordan, on the second day, to seek
some fit Frenchman. Arrangements are soon made: a Bookselling
Printer, Haude, Bookseller once to the Prince-Royal,--whom we saw
once in a domestic flash-of-lightning long ago, [Antea, Book vi. c.
7.]--is encouraged to proceed with the improved German article,
MERCURY or whatever they called it; vapid Formey, a facile pen, but
not a forcible, is the Editor sought out by Jordan for the French one.
And, in short, No. 1 of Formey shows itself in print within a month;
["2d July, 1740:" Preuss, Thronbesteigung, p. 330;
and Formey, Souvenirs, i. 107, rectified by the
exact Herr Preuss.] and Haude and he, Haude picking up some grand
Editor in Hamburg, do their best for the instruction of mankind.
In not many months, Formey, a facile and learned but rather vapid
gentleman, demitted or was dismissed; and the Journals coalesced into
one, or split into two again; and went I know not what road, or roads, in
time coming,--none that led to results worth naming. Freedom of the
Press, in the 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 italic> 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