history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第43部分

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onnaire　des　Anonymes；　　？　Matinees）；　who　calls　MATINEES　'a　development　of　the　IDEE　DE　LA　PERSONNE；'　&c。　（that　is；　of　your　'DEMON　NEWSWRITER；'　already　known　to　Bachaumont；　this　'IDEE；'　it　seems；　as　well　as　the　MATINEES　in　Manuscript）。　2。　LETTER　of　Grimm　to　Duchess　of　Sachsen…Gotha　＇OUR　Duchess＇；　dated　'Paris；　15th　April；　1765：'　not　in　printed　　Correspondance　de　Grimm；　　but　still　in　the　Archives　of　Gotha；　in　company　with　a　MS。　of　MATINEES；　probably　the　oldest　extant　（see；in　the　GRENZBOTEN　Periodical；　Leipzig；　1863；　pp。　473…484；　500…519；K。　SAMWER；　who　is　Chief　MALLEUS　of　this　new　London　moon…calf；　and　will　inform　the　curious　of　every　particular）。〃

MATINEES　was　first　printed　1766　（no　place）；　and　seven　or　eight　times　since；　in　different　Countries；　twice　or　thrice　over；　as　〃an　interesting　new　discovery：〃very　wearisome　to　this　Editor；　who　read　MATINEES　（in　poor　LONDON　print；　that　too）　many　years　ago；　with　complete　satisfaction　as　to　Matinees；　and　sincere　wish　not　to　touch　it　again　even　with　a　pair　of　tongs；and　has　since　had　three　〃priceless　MSS。　of　it〃　offered　him；　at　low　rates；　as　a　guerdon　to　merit。＇

Fact　No。　2；　which　alone　concerns　us　here；and　which；　in　its　three　successive　stages；　does　curiously　cohere　with　itself　and　with　other　things；comes；　therefore；　not　by　direct　light；　which　indeed；　by　the　nature　of　the　case；　would　be　impossible。　Not　by　direct　light；　but　by　various　reflex　lights；　and　convergence　of　probabilities　old　and　new；　which　become　the　stronger　the　better　they　are　examined；　and　may　be　considered　as　amounting　to　what　is　called　a　moral　certainty；〃certain〃　enough　for　an　inquiry　of　that　significance。　To　a　kind　of　moral　certainty：　kind　of　moral　consolation　too；　only　One　individual　of　Adam's　Posterity；　not　Three　or　more；　having　been　needed　in　these　multifarious　acts　of　scoundrelism；　and　that　One　receiving　payment；　or　part　payment；　so　prompt　and　appropriate；　in　the　shape　of　a　permanent　cannon…ball　at　his　ankle。

This　is　the　one　profit　my　readers　or　I　have　yet　derived　from　the　late　miraculous　Resuscitation　of　MATINEES　ROYALES；　the　other　items　of　profit　in　that　Enterprise　shall　belong；　not　to　us　in　the　least　measure；　but　to　Bonneville；　and　to　his　well　or　ill　disposed　Coadjutors　and　Copartners　in　the　Adventure。　Adieu　to　it；　aud　to　him　and　to　them；　forever　and　a　day！


PEACE…NEGOTIATIONS　HOPEFUL　TO　FRIEDRICH　ALL　THROUGH　WINTER；　BUT　THE　FRENCH　WON'T。　VOLTAIRE；　AND　HIS　STYLE　OF　CORRESPONDING。

This　Winter　there　was　talk　of　Peace；　more　specifically　than　ever。　November　15th；　at　the　Hague；　as　a　neutral　place；　there　had　been；　by　the　two　Majesties；　Britannic　and　Prussian；　official　DECLARATION；　〃We；　for　our　part；　deeply　lament　these　horrors；　and　are　ready　to　treat　of　Peace。〃　This　Declaration　was　presented　November　15th；　1759；　by　Prince　Ludwig　of　Brunswick　（Head　General　of　the　Dutch；　and　a　Brother　of　Prince　Ferdinand　our　General's；　suitable　for　such　case）；　to　the　Austrian…French　Excellencies　at　the　Hague。　By　whom　it　had　been　received　with　the　due　politeness；　〃Will　give　it　our　profoundest　consideration；〃　＇DECLARATION　（by　the　two　Majesties）　that　they　are　ready　to　treat　of　Peace；　15th　November；　1759；　presented　by；　&c。　（as　above）；　ANSWER　from　France；　in　stingy　terms；　and　not　till　3d　April；　1760：　are　in　　London　Gazette；　　in　　Gentleman's　Magazine；　　xxix。　603；　xxx。　188；　in　&c。　&c。＇which　indeed　the　French；　for　some　time；　privately　did；　though　the　Austrians　privately　had　no　need　to　do　so；　being　already　fixed　for　a　negative　response　to　the　proposal。　But　hereby　rose　actual　talk　of　a　〃Congress；〃　and　wagging　of　Diplomatic　wigs　as　to　where　it　shall　be。　〃In　Breda；〃　said　some；　〃Breda　a　place　used　to　Congresses。〃　〃Why　not　in　Nanci　here？〃　said　poor　old　Ex…Polish　Stanislaus；　alive　to　the　calls　of　benevolence；　poor　old　Titular　soul。　Others　said　〃Leipzig；〃　others　〃Augsburg；〃　and　indeed　in　Augsburg；　according　to　the　Gazetteers；　at　one　time；　there　were　〃upholsterers　busy　getting　ready　the　apartments。〃　So　that；　with　such　rumor　in　the　Diplomatic　circles；　the　Gazetteer　and　outer　world　was　full　of　speculation　upon　Peace；　and　Friedrich　had　lively　hopes　of　it；　and　had　been　hoping　three　months　before；　as　we　transiently　saw；　though　again　it　came　to　nothing。　All　to　nothing；　and　is　not；　in　itself；　worth　the　least　attention　from　us　here；a　poor　extinct　fact；　loud　in　those　months　and　filling　the　whole　world；　now　silent　and　extinct　to　everybody；except；　indeed；　that　it　offers　physiognomic　traits　here　and　there　of　a　certain　King；　and　of　those　about　him。　For　which　reason　we　will　dwell　on　it　a　few　minutes　longer。

Nobody；　in　that　Winter　1759…1760；　could　guess　where；　or　from　whom；　this　big　world…interesting　Peace…Negotiation　had　its　birth；　as　everybody　now　can；　when　nobody　now　is　curious　on　the　question！　At　Sagan；　in　September　last；　we　all　saw　the　small　private　source　of　it；　its　first　outspurt　into　daylight；　and　read　Friedrich's　ANSWERS　to　Voltaire　and　the　noble　Duchess　on　it：for　the　sake　of　which　Two　private　Correspondents；　and　of　Friedrich's　relation　to　them；　possibly　a　few　more　Excerpts　may　still　have　a　kind　of　interest；　now　when　the　thing　corresponded　on　has　ceased　to　have　any。　To　the　Duchess；　a　noble…minded　Lady；　beautifully　zealous　to　help　if　she　could；　by　whose　hand　these　multifarious　Peace…Papers　have　to　pass；　this　is　always　Friedrich's　fine　style　in　transmitting　them。　Out　of　many　specimens；　following　that　of　Sagan　which　we　gave；　here　are　the　Next　Three：


FRIEDRICH　TO　THE　DUCHESS　OF　SACHSEN…GOTHA　（Three　other　Letters　on　the　〃Peace〃）。

1。　〃WILSDRUF；　21st　November；　1759　＇day　after　Maxen；　SURRENDER　was　THIS　morningof　which　he　has　not　heard＇。

〃MADAM；Nothing　but　your　generosities　and　your　indulgence　could　justify　my　incongruity　＇INCONGRUITE；　in　troubling　you　with　the　Enclosed＇。　You　will　have　it；　Madam；　that　I　shall　still　farther　abuse　those　bounties；　which　are　so　precious　to　me：　at　least　remember　that　it　is　by　your　order；　if　I　forward　through　your　hand　this　Letter；　which　does　not　merit　such　honor。

〃Chance；　which　so　insolently　mocks　the　projects　of　men；　and　delights　to　build　up　and　then　pull　down；　has　led　us　about；　thus　far；to　the　end　of　the　Campaign　＇not　quite　ended　yet；　if　we　knew＇。　The　Austrians　are　girt　in　by　the　Elbe　on　this　side；　I　have　had　two　important　Magazines　of　theirs　in　Bohemia　destroyed　＇Kleist's　doing＇。　There　have　been　some　bits　of　fighting　（AFFAIRES）；　that　have　turned　entirely　to　our　advantage：so　that　I　am　in　hopes　of　forcing　M。　Daun　to　repass　the　Elbe；　to　abandon　Dresden；　and　to　take　the　road　for　Zittau　and　Bohemia。

〃I　talk　to　you；　Madam；　of　what　I　am　surrounded　with；　of　what；　being　in　your　neighborhood；　may　perhaps　have　gained　your　attention。　I　could　go　to　much　greater　length；　if　my　heart　dared　to　explain　itself　on　the　sentiments　of　admiration；　gratitude　and　esteem；　with　which　I　am；Madam　my　Cousin；Your　most　faithful　Cousin；　Friend　and　Servant；F。〃


2。　

〃FREYBERG；　18th　December；　1759。

〃MADAM；You　spoil　me　so　by　your　indulgence；　you　so　accustom　me　to　have　obligations　to　you；　that　I　reproach　myself　a　hundred　times　with　this　presumption。　Certainly　I　should　not　continue　to　enclose　these　Letters　to　your　care；　had　not　I　the　hope　that　perhaps　the　Correspondence　may　be　of　some　use　to　England；　and　even　to　Europe；　for　without　doubt　Peace　is　the　desirable；　the　natural　and　happy　state　for　all　Nations。　It　is　to　accelerate　Peace；　Madam；　that　I　abuse　your　generosities。　This　motive　excuses　me　to　myself　for　the　incongruity　of　my　procedures。

〃The　goodness　you　have　to　take　interest　in　my　situation　obliges　me　to　give　you　some　account　of　it。　We　have　undergone　all　sorts　of　misfortune　here　＇Maxen；　what　not＇；　at　the　moment　we　were　least　expecting　them。　Nevertheless；　there　remains　to　us　courage　and　hope；　here　are　Auxiliaries　＇Hereditary　Prince　and　12；000＇　on　the　point　of　arriving；　there　is　reason　to　think　that　the　end　of　our　Campaign　will　be　less　frightful　than　seemed　likely　three　weeks　ago。　May　you；　Madam；　enjoy　all　the　happiness　that　I　wish　you。　May　all　the　world　become　acquainted　with　your　virtues；　imitate　them；　and　admire　you　as　I　do。　May　you　be　persuaded　that　。。。F。〃


3。

〃FREYBERG；　16th　February；　1760。

〃MADAM；It　is　to　my　great　regret　that　I　importune　Your　Highness　so　often　with　my　Letters。　Your　bounties；　Madam；　have　spoiled　me；it　will　teach　you　to　be　more　chary　of　them　to　others。　I　regard　you　as　an　estimable　Friend；　to　whose　friendship　I　have　recourse　in　straits。　The　question　is　still　Peace；　Madam；　and　were　not　the　object　of　my　importunities　so　beautiful；　Madam；　I　should　be　inexcusable。〃Goes　then　into　practical　considerations；　about　〃Cocceji〃　（King's　Aide…de…Camp；　once　Keith's；　who　carries　this　Letter）；　about　a　〃Herr　von　Edelsheim；〃　a　〃Bailli　de　Froulay〃；　and　the　possible　〃Conditions　of　Peace；〃not　of　consequence　to　us　just　now。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xviii。　174；　173；　172。　Correspondence　on　this　subject　lasts　from　22d　September；　1759；　to　8th　May；　1760：　IB。　pp。　170…186。　In　that　final　Letter　of　8th　May　is　the　phrase；　hardly　worth　restoring　to　its　real　ownership；　though　the　context　considerably　redeems　it　there；〃the　prejudice　I　can't　get　rid　of；　that；　in　war；　DIEU　EST　POUR　LES　GROS　ESCADRONS。〃＇

As　to　Voltaire　again；　and　the　new　Friedrich…Voltaire　Style　of　Correspondence；　something　more　of　detail　will　be　requisite。　Ever　since　the　black　days　of　1757；　when　poor　Wilhelmina；　with　Rossbach　and　Leuthen　still　hidden　from　her　in　a　future　gloomy　as　death；　desperately　brought　Voltaire　to　bear　upon　Cardinal　Tencin　in　this　matter；　without　success；　there　has　been　a　kind　of　regular　corresponding　between　Voltaire　and　Friedrich；　characteristic　on　both　sides。　A　pair　of　Lovers　hopelessly　estranged　and　divorced；　and　yet；　in　a　sense；　unique　and　priceless　to　one　another。　The　Past；　full　of　heavenly　radiances；　which　issued；　alas；　in　flames　and　sooty　conflagrations　as　of　Erebus；let　us　forget　it；　and　be　taught　by　it！　The　Past　is　painful；　and　has　been　too　didactic　to　some　of　us：　but　here　still　is　the　Present　with　its　Future；　better　than　blank　nothing。　Pleasant　to　hear　the　sound　of　that　divine　voice　of　my　loved　one；　were　it　only　in　commonplace　remarks　on　the　weather；　perhaps　intermixed　with　secret　gibings　on　myself：let　us　hear　it　while　we　can；　amid　those　world…wide　crashing　discords　an