overplus: how much, then? Furthermore a few recruits,--or recruit-
money in lieu, if you like better!' And it was astonishing how the
Parliamentary vitality, not shortened of its least franchise, or
coerced in any particular, but merely stroked the right way of the
hair, by a gently formidable hand, with good head guiding, sank
almost straightway into dove-life, and never gave Friedrich any
trouble, whatever else it might do. The management was good;
the opportunity also was good. 'In one sitting, the Prussian Agent,
arbitrating between Embden and the Ritters, settled their
controversy, which had lasted fifty years.' The poor Country felt
grateful, which it might well do; as if for the laying of goblins,
for the ending of long-continued local typhoon! Friedrich's first
Visit, in 1751, was welcomed with universal jubilation; and poor
Ost-Friesland thanked him in still more solid ways, when occasion
rose. [Ranke, iii. 370-382.]

"It is not an important Country:--only about the size of Cheshire;
wet like it, and much inferior to it in cheese, in resources for
leather and live-stock, though it perhaps excels, again, in clover-
seeds, rape-seeds, Flanders horses, and the flax products.
The 'clear overplus' it yielded to Friedrich, as Sovereign
Administrator and Defender, was only 3,200 pounds; for recruit-
MONEY, 6,000 pounds (no recruits in CORPORE); in all, little more
than 9,000 pounds a year. But it had its uses too. Embden, bigger
than Chester, and with a better harbor, was a place of good trade;
and brought Friedrich into contact with sea-matters; in which, as
we shall find, he did make some creditable incipiencies, raising
expectations in the world; and might have carried it farther, had
not new Wars, far worse than this now at hand, interrupted him."

Friedrich was at Pyrmont, taking the waters, while this of
Friesland fell out; he had gone thither May 20th; was just arrived
there, four days before the death of Karl Edzard. [Rodenbeck,
p. 102.] His Officials, well pre-instructed, managed the Ost-
Friesland Question mainly themselves. Friedrich was taking the
waters; ostensibly nothing more. But he was withal, and still more
earnestly, consulting with a French Excellency (who also had felt a
need of the waters), about the French Campaign for this Season:
Whether Coigny was strong enough in the Middle-Rhine Countries;
how their Grand Army of the Netherlands shaped to prosper;
and other the like interesting points. [Ranke, iii. 165, 166.]
Frankfurt Union is just signed (May 22d). Most Christian Majesty is
himself under way to the Netherlands, himself going to command
there, as we shall see. "Good!" answers Friedrich: "But don't
weaken Coigny, think of Prince Karl on that side; don't detach from
Coigny, and reduce his 60,000 to 40,000!"

Plenty of mutual consulting, as they walk in the woods there.
And how profoundly obscure, to certain Official parties much
concerned, judge from the following small Document, preserved
by accident:--

LYTTELTON (our old Soissons Friend, now an Official in Prince Fred's
Household, friend of Pitt, and much else) TO HIS FATHER AT HAGLEY.

ARGYLE STREET, LONDON, "May 5th [16th], 1744.
"DEAR SIR,--Mr. West [Gilbert West, of whom there is still some
memory] comes with us to Hagley; and, if you give me leave, I will
bring our friend Thomson too"--oh Jamie Thamson, Jamie Thamson, oh!
"His SEASONS will be published in about a week's time, and a most
noble work they will be.

"I have no public news to tell you, which you have not had in the
Gazettes, except what is said in Private Letters from Germany, of
the King of Prussia's having drunk himself into direct madness, and
being confined on that account; which, if true, may have a great
effect upon the fate of Europe at this critical time." Yes indeed,
if true. "Those Letters say, that, at a review, he caused two men
to be taken out of the line, and shot, without any cause assigned
for it, and ordered a third to be murdered in the same manner;
but the Major of the regiment venturing to intercede for him, his
Majesty drew his sword, and would have killed the Officer too, if
he, perceiving his madness, had not taken the liberty to save
himself, by disarming the King; who was immediately shut up;
and the Queen, his Mother, has taken the Regency upon herself till
his recovery." PAPAE! "I do not give you this news for certain; but
it is generally believed in town. Lord Chesterfield says, 'He is
only thought to be MAD in Germany, because he has MORE WIT than
other Germans.'

"The King of Sardinia's Retreat from his lines at Villa Franca, and
the loss of that Town [20th April, one of those furious tussles,
French and Spaniard VERSUS Sardinian Majesty, in the COULISSES or
side-scenes of the Italian War-Theatre, neither stage nor side-
scenes of which shall concern us in this place], certainly bear a
very ill aspect; but it is not considered as"--anything to speak
of; nor was it. "We expect with impatience to know what will be the
effect of the Dutch Ambassador to Paris,--[to Valenciennes, as it
turns out, King Louis, on his high errand to the Netherlands, being
got so far; and the "effect" was no effect at all, except good
words on his part, and persistence in the battering down of Menin
and the Dutch Barrier, of which we shall hear ere long].

"I pray God the Summer may be happy to us, by being more easy than
usual to you,"--dear Father, much suffering by incurable ailments.
"It is the only thing wanting to make Hagley Park a Paradise.

"Poor Pope is, I am afraid, going to resign all that can die of him
to death;"--did actually die, 30th May (10th June): a world-tragedy
that too, though in small compass, and acting itself next door, at
Twickenham, without noise; a star of the firmament going out;--
twin-star, Swift (Carteret's old friend), likewise going out, sunk
in the socket, "a driveller and a show." ... "I am, with the truest
respect and affection, dear Sir, your most dutiful Son,--

"GEORGE LYTTELTON."
[Ayscough, <italic> Lord Lyttelton's Miscellaneous Works, <end
italic> (Lond., 1776), iii. 318.]

Friedrich returned from Pyrmont, 11th June; saw, with a grief of
his own, with many thoughts well hidden, his Sister Ulrique whirled
away from him, 26th July, in the gray of the summer dawn.
In Berlin, in Prussia, nobody but one is aware of worse just
coming. And now the War-drums suddenly awaken again; and poor
readers--not to speak of poor Prussia and its King!--must return to
that uncomfortable sphere, till things mend.





End of Project Gutenberg's Etext History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 14

