History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 2 | Page 9

though bloody, "in the form of a
crucifix;" zealous Adalbert, the hot spirit of him now at last cold;--and
has clapt his mark upon the Heathen country, protesting to the last. This
was in the year 997, think the best @@@@@ Antiquaries. It happened
at a place called FISCHHAUSEN, near Pillau, say they; on that, narrow
strip of country which lies between the Baltic aad the Frische Haf
(immense Lake, WASH, as we should say, or leakage of shallow water,
one of two such, which the Baltic has spilt out of it in that
quarter),--near the Fort and Haven of Pillau; where there has been
much stir since; where Napoleon, for one thing, had some tough
fighting, prior to the Treaty of Tilsit, fifty years ago. The place--or if
not this place, then Gnesen in Poland, the final burial-place of Adalbert,
which is better known--has ever since had a kind of sacredness; better
or worse expressed by mankind: in the form of canonization, endless
pilgrimages, rumored miracles, and such like. For shortly afterwards,
the neighboring Potentate, Boleslaus Duke of Poland, heart-struck at
the event, drew sword on these Heathens, and having (if I remember)
gained some victory, bargained to have the Body of Adalbert delivered
to him at its weight in gold. Body, all cut in pieces, and nailed to poles,
had long ignominiously withered in the wind; perhaps it was now only
buried overnight for the nonce? Being dug up, or being cut down, and
put into the balance, it weighed--less than was expected. It was as light
as gossamer, said pious rumor, Had such an excellent odor too;--and
came for a mere nothing of gold! This was Adalbert's first miracle after
death; in life he had done many hundreds of them, and has done

millions since,--chiefly upon paralytic nervous-systems, and the
element of pious rumor;--which any Devil's-Advocate then extant may
explain if he can! Kaiser Otto, Wonder of the World, who had known
St. Adalbert in life, and much honored him, "made a pilgrimage to his
tomb at Gnesen in the year 1000;"--and knelt there, we may believe,
with thoughts wondrous enough, great and sad enough.
There is no hope of converting Preussen, then? It will never leave off
its dire worship of Satan, then? Say not, Never; that is a weak word. St.
Adalbert has stamped his life upon it, in the form of a crucifix, in
lasting protest against that.

Chapter III.
MARKGRAVES OF BRANDENBURG.
Meanwhile our first enigmatic set of Markgraves, or Deputy-
Markgraves, at Brandenburg, are likewise faring ill. Whoever these
valiant steel-gray gentlemen might be (which Dryasdust does not the
least know, and only makes you more uncertain the more he pretends to
tell), one thing is very evident, they had no peaceable possession of the
place, nor for above a hundred years, a constant one on any terms. The
Wends were highly disinclined to conversion and obedience: once and
again, and still again, they burst up; got temporary hold of Brandenburg,
hoping to keep it; and did frightful heterodoxies there. So that to our
distressed imagination those poor "Markgraves of Witekind descent,"
our first set in Brandenburg, become altogether shadowy, intermittent,
enigmatic, painfully actual as they once were. Take one instance,
omitting others; which happily proves to be the finish of that first
shadowy line, and introduces us to a new set very slightly more
substantial.
END OF THE FIRST SHADOWY LINE.
In the year 1023, near a century after Henry the Fowler's feat, the
Wends bursting up in never-imagined fury, get hold of Brandenburg

again,--for the third and, one would fain hope, the last time. The reason
was, words spoken by the then Markgraf of Brandenburg, Dietrich or
Theodoric, last of the Witekind Markgraves; who hearing that a Cousin
of his (Markgraf or Deputy- Markgraf like himself) was about wedding
his daughter to "Mistevoi King of the Wends," said too earnestly:
"Don't! Will you give your daughter to a dog?" Word "dog" was used,
says my authority. [See Michaelis Chur und Furstlichen Hauser,
i. 257-259: Pauli, Allgemeine Preussische Staats-
Geschichte (Halle, 1760-1769), i. l-182 (the "standard
work" on Prussian History; in eight watery quartos, intolerable to
human nature): Kloss, Vuterlandische Gemalde
(Berlin, 1833), i. 59-108 (a Bookseller's compilation, with some
curious Excerpts):--under which lie modern Sagittarius, ancient Adam
of Bremen, Ditmarus Merseburgensis, Witichindus Corbeiensis,
Arnoldus Lubecensis, &c. &c. to all lengths and breadths.]
Which threw King Mistevoi into a paroxysm, and raised the Wends.
Their butchery of the German population in poor Brandenburg,
especially of the Priests; their burning of the Cathedral, and of Church
and State generally, may be conceived. The HARLUNGSBERG,--in
our time MARIENBERG, pleasant Hill near Brandenburg, with its
gardens, vines, and whitened cottages:--on the top of