History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 3 | Page 6

to keep remote from it on this occasion.
On one other point I must give the reader warning. A rock of offence
on which if he heedlessly strike, I reckon he will split; at least no help
of mine can benefit him till he be got off again. Alas, offences must
come; and must stand, like rocks of offence, to the shipwreck of many!

Modern Dryasdust, interpreting the mysterious ways of Divine
Providence in this Universe, or what he calls writing History, has done
uncountable havoc upon the best interests of mankind. Hapless godless
dullard that he is; driven and driving on courses that lead only
downward, for him as for us! But one could forgive him all things,
compared with this doctrine of devils which he has contrived to get
established, pretty generally, among his unfortunate fellow-creatures
for the time!--I must insert the following quotation, readers guess from
what author:--
"In an impudent Pamphlet, forged by I know not whom, and published
in 1766, under the title of Matinees du Roi de Prusse, italic> purporting to be 'Morning Conversations' of Frederick the Great
with his Nephew the Heir-Apparent, every line of which betrays itself
as false and spurious to a reader who has made any direct or effectual
study of Frederick or his manners or affairs, --it is set forth, in the way
of exordium to these pretended royal confessions, that 'notre
maison,' our Family of Hohenzollern, ever since the first
origin of it among the Swabian mountains, or its first descent therefrom
into the Castle and Imperial Wardenship of Nurnberg, some six
hundred years ago or more, has consistently travelled one road, and this
a very notable one. 'We, as I myself the royal Frederick still do, have
all along proceeded,' namely, 'in the way of adroit Machiavelism, as
skilful gamblers in this world's business, ardent gatherers of this
world's goods; and in brief as devout worshippers of Beelzebub, the
grand regulator and rewarder of mortals here below. Which creed we,
the Hohenzollerns, have found, and I still find, to be the true one; learn
it you, my prudent Nephew, and let all men learn it. By holding steadily
to that, and working late and early in such spirit, we are come to what
you now see;--and shall advance still farther, if it please Beelzebub,
who is generally kind to those that serve him well.' Such is the doctrine
of this impudent Pamphlet; 'original Manuscripts' of which are still
purchased by simple persons,--who have then nobly offered them to me,
thrice over, gratis or nearly so, as a priceless curiosity. A new printed
edition of which, probably the fifth, has appeared within few years.
Simple persons, consider it a curious and interesting Document; rather
ambiguous in origin perhaps, but probably authentic in substance, and

throwing unexpected light on the character of Frederick whom men call
the Great. In which new light they are willing a meritorious Editor
should share.
"Who wrote that Pamphlet I know not, and am in no condition to guess.
A certain snappish vivacity (very unlike the style of Frederick whom it
personates); a wearisome grimacing, gesticulating malice and
smartness, approaching or reaching the sad dignity of what is called
'wit' in modern times; in general the rottenness of matter, and the
epigrammatic unquiet graciosity of manner in this thing, and its
elaborately INhuman turn both of expression and of thought, are visible
characteristics of it. Thought, we said,--if thought it can be called:
thought all hamstrung, shrivelled by inveterate rheumatism, on the part
of the poor ill-thriven thinker; nay tied (so to speak, for he is of
epigrammatic turn withal), as by cross ropes, right shoulder to left foot;
and forced to advance, hobbling and jerking along, in that sad guise:
not in the way of walk, but of saltation and dance; and this towards a
false not a true aim, rather no-whither than some-whither:--Here were
features leading one to think of an illustrious Prince de Ligne as
perhaps concerned in the affair. The Bibliographical Dictionaries,
producing no evidence, name quite another person, or series of persons,
[A certain "N. de Bonneville" (afterwards a Revolutionary
spiritual-mountebank, for some time) is now the favorite
Name;--proves, on investigation, to be an impossible one. Barbier
(Dictionnaire des Anonymes), in a helpless
doubting manner, gives still others.] highly unmemorable otherwise.
Whereupon you proceed to said other person's acknowledged WORKS
(as they are called); and find there a style bearing no resemblance
whatever; and are left in a dubious state, if it were of any moment. In
the absence of proof, I am unwilling to charge his Highness de Ligne
with such an action; and indeed am little careful to be acquainted with
the individual who did it, who could and would do