history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第50部分

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with　D'Argens　becomes　interesting　almost　to　a　painful　degree：　an　unaffected　picture　of　one　of　the　bravest　human　souls　weighed　down　with　dispiriting　labors　and　chagrins；　such　as　were　seldom　laid　on　any　man；　almost　beyond　bearing；　but　incurable；　and　demanding　to　be　borne。　Wilhelmina　is　away；　away；　to　D'Argens　alone　of　mortals　does　he　whisper　of　these　things；　and　to　him　not　wearisomely；　or　with　the　least　prolixity；　but　in　short　sharp　gusts；　seldom　now　with　any　indignation；　oftenest　with　a　touch　of　humor　in　them；　not　soliciting　any　sympathy；　nor　expecting　nearly　as　much　as　he　will　get　from　the　faithful　D'Argens。

〃I　am　unfortunate　and　old；　dear　Marquis；　that　is　why　they　persecute　me：　God　knows　what　my　future　is　to　be　this　Year！　I　grieve　to　resemble　Cassandra　with　my　prophecies；　but　how　augur　well　of　the　desperate　situation　we　are　in；　and　which　goes　on　growing　worse？　I　am　so　gloomy　to…day；　I　will　cut　short。　。。。　Write　to　me　when　you　have　nothing　better　to　do；　and　don't　forget　a　poor　Philosopher　who；　perhaps　to　expiate　his　incredulity；　is　doomed　to　find　his　Purgatory　in　THIS　world。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xix。　138；　139　（〃Freyberg；　20th　March；　1760〃）。＇　。。。　To　another　Friend；　in　the　way　of　speech；　he　more　deliberately　says：　〃The　difficulties　I　had；　last　Campaign；　were　almost　infinite：　such　a　multitude　of　enemies　acting　against　me；　Pommern；　Brandenburg；　Saxony；　Frontiers　of　Silesia；　alike　in　danger；　often　enough　all　at　one　time。　If　I　escaped　absolute　destructiou；　I　must　impute　it　chiefly　to　the　misconduct　of　my　enemies；　who　gained　such　advantages；　but　had　not　the　sense　to　follow　them　up。　Experience　often　corrects　people　of　their　blunders：　I　cannot　expect　to　profit　by　anything　of　that　kind；　on　their　part；　in　the　course　of　this　Campaign：〃　judge　if　it　will　be　a　light　one；　MON　CHER。　＇To　Mitchell；　one　evening；　〃Camp　of　Schlettau；　May　23d〃　（Mitchell；　ii。　159）。＇

The　symptoms　we　decipher　in　these　Letters；　and　otherwise；　are　those　of　a　man　drenched　in　misery；　but　used　to　his　black　element；　unaffectedly　defiant　of　it；　or　not　at　the　pains　to　defy　it；　occupied　only　to　do　his　very　utmost　in　it；　with　or　without　success；　till　the　end　come。　Prometheus；　chained　on　the　Ocean…cliffs；　with　the　New　Ruling…Powers　in　the　upper　hand；　and　their　vultures　gradually　eating　him；　dumb　Time　and　dumb　Space　looking　on；　apparently　with　small　sympathy：　Prometheus　and　other　Titans；　now　and　then；　have　touched　the　soul　of　some　AEschylus；　and　drawn　tones　of　melodious　sympathy；　far　heard　among　mankind。　But　with　this　new　Titan　it　is　not　so：　nor；　upon　the　whole；　with　the　proper　Titan；　in　this　world；　is　it　usually　so；　the　world　being　awhat　shall　we　say？a　poorish　kind　of　world；　and　its　melodies　and　dissonances；　its　loves　and　its　hatreds　worth　comparatively　little　in　the　long…　run。　Friedrich　does　wonderfully　without　sympathy　from　almost　anybody；　and　the　indifference　with　which　he　walks　along；　under　such　a　cloud　of　sulky　stupidities；　of　mendacities　and　misconceptions　from　the　herd　of　mankind；　is　decidedly　admirable　to　me。

But　let　us　look　into　the　Campaign　itself。　Perhapscontrary　to　the　world's　opinion；　and　to　Friedrich's　own　when；　in　ultra…lucid　moments；　he　gazes　into　it　in　the　light　of　cold　arithmetic；　and　finds　the　aspect　of　it　〃frightful〃this　Campaign　will　be　a　little　luckier　to　him　than　the　last？　Unluckier　it　cannot　well　be：or　if　so；　it　will　at　least　be　final　to　him！





End　of　V　19