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

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Prepared by D.R. Thompson

Carlyle's "History of Friedrich II of Prussia"

BOOK VI.
DOUBLE-MARRIAGE PROJECT, AND CROWN-PRINCE, GOING
ADRIFT UNDER THE STORM-WINDS.
1727-1730.

Chapter I.
FIFTH CRISIS IN THE KAISER'S SPECTRE-HUNT.
The Crown-Prince's young Life being, by perverse chance, involved
and as it were absorbed in that foolish question of his English Marriage,
we have nothing for it but to continue our sad function; and go on
painfully fishing out, and reducing to an authentic form, what traces of
him there are, from that disastrous beggarly element,--till once he get
free of it, either dead or alive. The WINDS (partly by Art-Magic) rise
to the hurricane pitch, upon this Marriage Project and him; and as for
the sea, or general tide of European Politics--But let the reader look
with his own eyes.
In the spring of 1727, War, as anticipated, breaks out; Spaniards
actually begin battering at Gibraltar; Kaiser's Ambassador at London is
angrily ordered to begone. Causes of war were many: 1. Duke de
Ripperda--tumbled out now, that illustrious diplomatic bulldog, at
Madrid--sought asylum in the English Ambassador's house; and no
respect was had to such asylum: that is one cause. 2. Then, you English,
what is the meaning of these war-fleets in the West Indies; in the
Mediterranean, on the very coast of Spain? We demand that you at
once take them home again:--which cannot be complied with. 3. But
above all things, we demand Gibraltar of you:--which can still less be
complied with. Termagant Elizabeth has set her heart on Gibraltar: that,

in such opportunity as this unexpected condition of the Balances now
gives her, is the real cause of the War.
Cession of Gibraltar: there had been vague promises, years ago, on the
Kaiser's part; nay George himself, raw to England at that date, is said to
have thought the thing might perhaps be done.-- Do it at once, then!"
said the Termagant Queen, and repeated, with ever more
emphasis;--and there being not the least compliance, she has opened
parallels before the place, and begun war and ardent firing there; [22d
February, 1727 (Scholl, ii. 212). Salmon, Chronological
Historian (London, 1747; a very incorrect dark Book,
useful only in defect of better), ii. 173. Coxe, Memoirs of
Walpole, i. 260, 261; ii. 498-515.] preceded by protocols,
debates in Parliament; and the usual phenomena. It is the Fifth grand
Crisis in the Kaiser's spectre-huntings; fifth change in the color of the
world-lobster getting boiled in that singular manner;--Second Sputter of
actual War.
Which proved futile altogether; and amounts now, in the human
memory; to flat zero,--unless the following infinitesimally small
fraction be countable again:--
"Sputtering of War; that is to say, Siege of Gibraltar. A siege utterly
unmemorable, and without the least interest, for existing mankind with
their ungrateful humor,--if