of the first
magnitude in these years. [London, 1723, in surreptitious incomplete
state, La Ligue the title; then at length, London,
1726, as Henriade, in splendid 4to,--by
subscription (King, Prince and Princess of Wales at the top of it), which
yielded 8,000 pounds: see Voltaire, OEuvres Completes,
italic> xiii. 408.] An incomparable piece, patronized by Royalty in
England; the delight of all kindred Courts. The light dancing march of
this new "Epic," and the brisk clash of cymbal music audible in it, had,
as we find afterwards, greatly captivated the young man. All is not
pipe-clay, then, and torpid formalism; aloft from the murk of
commonplace rise glancings of a starry splendor, betokening--oh, how
much!
Out of Books, rumors and experiences, young imagination is forming
to itself some Picture of the World as it is, as it has been. The curtains
of this strange life-theatre are mounting, mounting, --wondrously as in
the case of all young souls; but with what specialties, moods or
phenomena of light and shadow, to this young soul, is not in any point
recorded for us. The "early Letters to Wilhelmina, which exist in great
numbers," from these we had hoped elucidation: but these the learned
Editor has "wholly withheld as useless," for the present. Let them be
carefully preserved, on the chance of somebody's arising to whom they
may have uses!--
The worst feature of these years is Friedrich Wilhelm's discontent with
them. A Crown-Prince sadly out of favor with Papa. This has long been
on the growing hand; and these Double-Marriage troubles, not to
mention again the new-fangled French tendencies (BLITZ
FRANZOSEN!), much aggravate the matter, and accelerate its rate of
growth. Already the paternal countenance does not shine upon him;
flames often; and thunders, to a shocking degree;--and worse days are
coming.
Chapter II.
DEATH OF GEORGE I.
Gibraltar still keeps sputtering; ardent ineffectual bombardment from
the one side, sulky, heavy blast of response now and then from the
other: but the fire does not spread; nor will, we may hope. It is true,
Sweden and Denmark have joined the Treaty of Hanover, this spring;
and have troops on foot, and money paid them; But George is pacific;
Gibraltar is impregnable; let the Spaniards spend their powder there.
As for the Kaiser, he is dreadfully poor; inapt for battle himself. And in
the end of this same May, 1727, we hear, his principal ally, Czarina
Catherine, has died;--poor brown little woman, Lithuanian housemaid,
Russian Autocrat, it is now all one; --dead she, and can do nothing.
Probably the Kaiser will sit still? The Kaiser sits still; with eyes bent on
Gibraltar, or rolling in graud Imperial inquiry and anxiety round the
world; war-outlooks much dimmed for him since the end of May.
Alas, in the end of June, what far other Job's-post is this that reaches
Berlin and Queen Sophie? That George I., her royal Father, has
suddenly sunk dead! With the Solstice, or Summer pause of the Sun,
21st or 22d June, almost uncertain which, the Majesty of George I. did
likewise pause,--in his carriage, on the road to Osnabruck,--never to
move more. Whereupon, among the simple People, arose rumors of
omens, preternaturalisms, for and against: How his desperate Megaera
of a Wife, in the act of dying, had summoned him (as was presumable),
to appear along with her at the Great Judgment-Bar within year and day;
and how he has here done it. On the other hand, some would have it
noted, How "the nightingales in Herrenhausen Gardens had all ceased
singing for the year, that night he died,"--out of loyalty on the part of
these little birds, it seemed presumable. [See Kohler,
Munzbelustigungen, x. 88.]
What we know is, he was journeying towards Hanover again, hopeful
of a little hunting at the Gorhde; and intended seeing Osnabruck and his
Brother the Bishop there, as he passed. That day, 21st June, 1727, from
some feelings of his own, he was in great haste for Osnabruck; hurrying
along by extra-post, without real cause save hurry of mind. He had left
his poor old Maypole of a Mistress on the Dutch Frontier, that morning,
to follow at more leisure. He was struck by apoplexy on the road,--arm
fallen powerless, early in the day, head dim and heavy; obviously an
alarming case. But he refused to stop anywhere; refused any surgery
but such as could be done at once. "Osnabruck! Osnabruck!" he
reiterated, growing visibly worse. Two subaltern Hanover Officials,
"Privy-Councillor von Hardenberg, KAMMERHERR (Chamberlain)
von Fabrice, were in the carriage with him;" [Gottfried,
Historische Chronik (Frankfurt, 1759), iii. 872. Boyer,
The Political State of Great Britain, vol. xxxiii. pp.
545, 546.] King chiefly dozing, and at last supported
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