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Footnote 198:
_Voyage de Brockhausen_ may mean ‘during the journey from’ or ‘to
Brockhausen.’ This and the following letters appear to belong to the
dates here assigned to them; but it is possible that they belong to
June 1693. The Princess left Hanover for Brockhausen on June 21, 1692,
see Wilkins, p. 180; as to her movements to and from that place in
June 1693, see ib. pp. 256-76. After a careful consideration of dates,
as well as of the general contents of the letters, I have come to the
conclusion that the 1692 date is the more probable. Brockhausen, or
Bruchhausen, was a country-seat of the Duke of Celle, situate, like
the town of Nienburg, mentioned at the end of this letter, in the
division of the old countship of Hoya, which had from the middle of
the sixteenth century onwards belonged to the Celle branch of the
House of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Brockhausen is about 18 miles N.W. of
Celle.
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F 2
[FROM SOPHIA DOROTHEA TO KÖNIGSMARCK]
Brockhausen,
_Thursday, June 22nd {1692}_.
The Hereditary Princess arrived yesterday evening. She is pleased with
the Duchess of Celle. I have no doubt but that she will do everything
that one wishes. The Duke of Celle is far more difficult [to manage].
I have as yet heard nothing of you, which makes me very sad. I flatter
myself, however, that nothing has happened, inasmuch as I have heard
nothing. The Duke of Hanover goes on Monday to Hanover. This
resolution was taken yesterday; if I had known it sooner, I should not
have started, and I might have been able to see you for some days
more. I am convinced that he waited on purpose, and this truly vexes
me; for I hate worse than death whatever seeks to separate me from
you. It is a great unhappiness to have to pass one’s life as I now
pass mine. I cannot, however, see the end of my woes. Yesterday I had
a thousand thoughts in the chaise which drove me into despair. I could
not think of waiting a whole month before seeing you without mortal
grief; all the measures which I must take ... me. I cannot do without
you; I do not care to see anybody in the world except you; yet I do
not see you; and at every moment I have to be deprived of [the sight
of you]. I can no longer exist in this constraint, it drives me to
despair; my passion increases day by day; I do not know what you have
done to me, but you bewitched me the last time that I saw you, and I
have never loved you with so much ardour as I do. It is certain that
you will [completely] turn my head. Yesterday I wrote a song, and this
makes it clear to me that love works miracles. I cannot keep myself
from telling you my song; it goes to the air ‘_Dans mon malheur_’:
‘Without my ... I loathe all company:[199]
He is my only bliss, my sole content,
The one enchantment of this life to me,
On whom the wishes of my heart are spent.’
It is my heart and nothing else that speaks; I hope that I shall go
further, and as time goes on I shall be able to prove it to you. The
Duke of Celle [or the Hereditary Prince][199] goes on Tuesday to
Celle; for this reason do not write to me any more lest I be not there
[?]. The Duchess of Celle has promised 2000 dollars if the Hereditary
Prince does not return; this redoubles my friendship. The Hereditary
Princess spoke yesterday at Luisburg[200] to 110; he sought for an
opportunity for it. It was to exhort him not to give any chance to his
enemies, and above all to be on his guard against Countess Platen. The
Hereditary Princess begged him particularly to let her know about
anything which concerned her. He promised her to do so. I am not aware
whether all this does not concern Königsmarck. I cannot speak to you
except about the grief which it is to me to be so far away from you.
Do not console yourself for my absence, I entreat you, and have no
enjoyment when I am not with you. Great God, what a charm and what a
delight to be always with you; the more one sees you, the more one
finds you superior to all men in the world. I occupy my whole time
with the charming remembrance of the last time when I saw you; it will
never quit my memory. Ah, my dear child, how tenderly you are loved,
and how insupportable it is to me not to see you! I am about to go to
bed; I hope that my dreams will figure you to me as charming as you
are. If I did not think I should see you while asleep, I should not
care to sleep at all; for as soon as I am awake you take up all my
thoughts, and there is nothing that is pleasant to me in my life but
the time which I pass in thinking of you. Good-night, most amiable of
men; you are adored by me, and so you will be all my life. Good-bye,
once more—why am I not in your arms?—I shall die of this!
-----
Footnote 199:
Cipher uncertain.
Footnote 200:
A country-seat, not very far from Brockhausen, belonging to the Duke
of Hanover, where his Court seems to have been in the earlier as well
as in the later part of this summer. Cf. Colt, _ap._ Wilkins, p. 215,
_note_.
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On Wednesday the Hereditary Princess appeared at table and spoke to 110,
then to the Field-Ma[rshal].[201] She arrived late. Prince Max received
her and shook hands with her; she said very little to him. The Duke of
Celle came into the room; Prince Max did not come in at all; the Duchess
of Celle had gone to bring her in, and came back late for she did not
find the Hereditary Princess. Supper was afterwards served. The
Hereditary Princess, the Duchess of Celle, and the Duke of Celle, were
together, quite by themselves. The Duchess of Celle took the Hereditary
Princess to her rooms, and nobody entered them.
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Footnote 201:
Field-Marshal Henry von Podewils (1615-96) commanded the Hanoverian
troops in the campaign of 1688, and also in the demonstration of 1693.
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