History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 16 | Page 7

during the next five years, the world will hear often of
Cocceji, and of this Prussian Law-Reform by Friedrich and him. His
Majesty's exertions to make Peace were not successful; what does lie in
his power is, to keep out of the quarrel himself. It appears great hopes
were entertained, by some in England, of gaining Friedrich over; of
making him Supreme Captain to the Cause of Liberty. And prospects
were held out to him, quasi-offers made, of a really magnificent
nature,--undeniable, though obscure. Herr Ranke has been among the
Archives again; and comes out with fractional snatches of a very
strange "Paper from England;" capriciously hiding all details about it,
all intelligible explanation: so that you in vain ask, "Where, When,
How, By whom?" --and can only guess to yourself that Carteret was
somehow at the bottom of the thing; AUT CARTERETUS AUT
DIABOLUS. "What would your Majesty think to be elected
Stadtholder of Holland? Without a Stadtholder, these Dutch are worth
nothing; not hoistable, nor of use when hoisted, all palavering and
pulling different ways. Must have a Stadtholder; and one that stands
firm on some basis of his own. Stadtholder of Holland, King of
Prussia,--you then, in such position, take the reins of this poor
floundering English- Dutch Germanic Anti-French War, you; and drive
it in the style you have. Conquer back the Netherlands to us; French
Netherlands as well. French and Austrian Netherlands together, yours
in perpetuity; Dutch Stadtholderate as good as ditto: this, with Prussia
and its fighting capabilities, will be a pleasant Protestant thing. Austria
cares little about the Netherlands, in comparison. Austria, getting back
its Lorraine and Alsace, will be content, will be strong on its feet. What
if it should even lose Italy? France, Spain, Sardinia, the Italian Petty
Principalities and Anarchies: suppose they tug and tussle, and collapse
there as they can? But let France try to look across the Rhine again; and

to threaten Teutschland, England, and the Cause of Human Liberty
temporal or spiritual!" This is authentically the purport of Herr Ranke's
extraordinary Document; [Ranke, iii. 359.] guessable as due to
CARTERETUS or DIABOLUS. Here is an outlook; here is a career as
Conquering Hero, if that were one's line! A very magnificent
ground-plan; hung up to kindle the fancy of a young King,--who is far
too prudent to go into it at all. More definite quasi-official offers, it
seems, were made him from the same quarter: Subsidies to begin with,
such subsidies as nobody ever had before; say 1,000,000 pounds
sterling by the Year. To which Friedrich answered, "Subsidies, your
Excellency?" (Are We a Hackney-Coachman, then?)--and, with much
contempt, turned his back on that offer. No fighting to be had, by
purchase or seduction, out of this young man. Will not play the
Conquering Hero at all, nor the Hackney-Coachman at all; has decided
"not to fight a cat" if let alone; but to do and endeavor a quite other set
of things, for the rest of his life. Friedrich, readers can observe, is not
uplifted with his greatness. He has been too much beaten and bruised to
be anything but modestly thankful for getting out of such a deadly clash
of chaotic swords. Seems to have little pride even in his "Five
Victories;" or hides it well. Talks not overmuch about these things;
talks of them, so far as we can hear, with his old comrades only, in
praise of THEIR prowesses; as a simple human being, not as a supreme
of captains; and at times acknowledges, in a fine sincere way, the
omnipotence of Luck in matters of War. One of the most characteristic
traits, extensively symbolical of Friedrich's intentions and outlooks at
this Epoch, is his installing of himself in the little Dwelling-House,
which has since become so celebrated under the name of Sans-Souci.
The plan of Sans-Souci--an elegant commodious little "Country Box,"
quite of modest pretensions, one story high; on the pleasant Hill-top
near Potsdam, with other little green Hills, and pleasant views of land
and water, all round--had been sketched in part by Friedrich himself;
and the diggings and terracings of the Hill-side were just beginning,
when he quitted for the Last War. "April 14th, 1745," while he lay in
those perilous enigmatic circumstances at Neisse with Pandours and
devouring bugbears round him, "the foundation- stone was laid"
(Knobelsdorf being architect, once more, as in the old Reinsberg case):
and the work, which had been steadily proceeding while the Master

struggled in those dangerous battles and adventures far away from it,
was in good forwardness at his return. An object of cheerful interest to
him; prophetic of calmer years ahead. It was not till May, 1747, that the
formal occupation took place: "Mayday, 1747," he had a grand
House-heating, or "First Dinner, of 200 covers: