Things, therefore, are got to a dead-lock at Berlin: rebellious
Womankind peremptorily refuse Weissenfels, and take to a bed of
sickness; inexpugnable there, for the moment. Baireuth is but a weak
middle term; and there are disagreements on it. Answer from England,
affirmative or even negative, we have yet none. Promptly affirmative,
that might still avail, and be an honorable outcome. Perhaps better
pause till that arrive, and declare itself?--Friedrich Wilhelm knows
nothing of the Villa mission, of the urgencies that have been used in
England: but, in present circumstances, he can pause for their answer.
MAJESTY AND CROWN-PRINCE WITH HIM MAKE A RUN TO DRESDEN
To outward appearance, Friedrich Wilhelm, having written that message to
Baireuth, seems easier in mind; quiet with the Queen; though dangerous
for exploding if Wilhelmina and the Prince come in view. Wilhelmina
mostly squats; Prince, who has to be in view, gets slaps and strokes
"daily (JOURNELLEMENT)," says the Princess,--or almost daily. For the
rest, it is evident enough, Weissenfels, if not got passed through the
Female Parliament, is thrown out on the second reading, and so is at
least finished. Ought we not to make a run to Dresden, therefore,
and apprise the Polish Majesty? Short run to Dresden is appointed
for February 18th; [Fassmann, p. 404.] and the Prince-Royal, perhaps
suspected of meditating something, and safer in his Father's company
than elsewhere, is to go. Wilhelmina had taken leave of him, night of
the 17th, in her Majesty's Apartment; and was in the act of undressing
for bed, when,--judge of a young Princess's terror and surprise,--
"There stept into the anteroom," visible in the half-light there, a
most handsome little Cavalier, dressed, not succinctly as Colonel of the
Potsdam Giants, but "in magnificent French style.--I gave a shriek, not
knowing who it was; and hid myself behind a screen. Madam de Sonsfeld,
my Governess, not less frightened than myself, ran out" to see what
audacious person, at such undue hour, it could be. "But she returned
next moment, accompanying the Cavalier, who was laughing heartily, and
whom I recognized for my Brother. His dress so altered him, he seemed a
different person. He was in the best humor possible.
"'I am come to bid you farewell once more, my dear Sister,' said he:
'and as I know the friendship you have for me, I will not keep you
ignorant of my designs. I go, and do not come back. I cannot endure
the usage I suffer; my patience is driven to an end. It is a favorable
opportunity for flinging off that odious yoke; I will glide out of
Dresden, and get across to England; where I do not doubt I shall work
out your deliverance too, when I am got thither. So I beg you, calm
yourself, We shall soon meet again in places where joy shall succeed our
tears, and where we shall have the happiness to see ourselves in peace,
and free from these persecutions.'" [Wilhelmina, i. 205.]
Wilhelmina stood stupefied, in silence for some moments;--argued long
with her Brother; finally got him to renounce those wild plans, or at
least postpone them; and give her his word that he would attempt nothing
on the present occasion. This small Dresden Excursion of February, 1730,
passed, accordingly, without accident, It was but the prelude to a much
grander Visit now agreed upon between the neighboring Majesties. For
there is a grand thing in the wind. Something truly sublime, of the
scenic-military kind, which has not yet got a name; but shall soon have
a world-wide one,--"Camp of Muhlberg," "Camp of Radewitz," or however to
be named,--which his Polish Majesty will hold in those Saxon parts, in a
month or two. A thing that will astonish all the world, we may hope; and
where the King and Prince of Prussia are to attend as chief guests.
It was during this brief absence in February, or directly after
Friedrich Wilhelm had returned, that Queen Sophie had that fit of real
sickness we spoke of. Scarcely was his Majesty got home, when the Queen,
rather ambiguous in her sicknesses of late, fell really and dangerously
ill: so that Friedrich Wilhelm, at last recognizing it for real, came
hurrying in from Potsdam; wept loud and abundantly, poor man; declared
in private, "He would not survive his Feekin;" and for her sake
solemnly pardoned Wilhelmina, and even Fritz,--till the symptoms mended.
[Wilhelmina, i. 306.]
HOW VILLA WAS RECEIVED IN ENGLAND.
Meanwhile Dr. Villa, in England, has sped not ill. Villa's eloquence of
truth; the Grumkow-Reichenbach Correspondence in St. Mary Axe: these
two things produce their effect. These on the one hand; and then on the
other, certain questionable aspects of Fleury, after that fine Soissons
Catastrophe to the Kaiser; and certain interior quarrels in the English
Ministry, partly grounded thereon:--"On the whole, why should not we
detach Friedrioh Wilhelm from the Kaiser, if we could, and comply with a
Royal Sister?" think they at St. James's.
Political men take some interest in the question; "Why neglect your
Prince of Wales?" grumbles the Public: "It is a solid Protestant match,
eligible for Prince Fred and us!"--"Why bother with the Kaiser and his
German puddles?" asks Walpole: "Once detach Prussia from him, the
Kaiser will perhaps sit still, and leave the world and us free of
his Pragmatics and his Sanctions and Apanages."--"Quit of him? German
puddles?" answers Townshend dubitatively,--who has gained favor at
headquarters by going deeply into said puddles; and is not so ardent for
the Prussian Match; and indeed is gradually getting into quarrel with
Walpole and Queen Caroline. [Coxe, i. 332-339.] These things are all
favorable to Dr. Villa.
In fact, there is one of those political tempests (dreadful to the
teapot, were it not experienced in them) going on in England, at this
time,--what we call a Change of Ministry;--daily crisis laboring towards
fulfilment, or brewing itself ripe. Townshend and Walpole have had (how
many weeks ago Coxe does not tell us) that meeting in Colonel Selwyn's,
which ended in their clutching at swords, nay almost at coat-collars:
[Ib. p. 335.] honorable Brothers-in-law: but the good Sister, who used
to reconcile them, is now dead. Their quarrels, growing for some years
past, are coming to a head. "When the firm used to be Townshend and
Walpole, all was well; when it had to become Walpole and Townshend, all
was not well!" said Walpole afterwards.
Things had already gone so far, that Townshend brought Chesterfield over
from the Hague, last Autumn;--a Baron de Montesquieu, with the ESPRIT DE
LOIS in his head, sailed with Lord Chesterfield on that occasion, and
is now in England "for two years;"--but Chesterfield could not be made
Secretary; industrious Duke of Newcastle stuck so close by that office,
and by the skirts of Walpole. Chesterfield and Townshend VERSUS Walpole,
Colonel Stanhope (Harrington) and the Pelhams: the Prussian Match is
a card in that game; and Dr. Villa's eloquence of truth is not lost on
Queen Caroline, who in a private way manages, as always, to rule pretty
supreme in it.
There lies in the State-Paper Office, [Close by Despatch (Prussian):
"London, 8th February (o.s.) 1729-1730."] without date or signature, a
loose detached bit of writing, in scholastic style, but brief and to the
purpose, which is evidently the Memorial of Villa; but as it teaches us
nothing that we do not already know, it need not be inserted here.
The man, we can perceive farther, continued useful in those Official
quarters, answering questions about Prussia, helping in the St.-Mary-Axe
decipherings, and in other small ways, for some time longer; after which
he vanishes again from all record,--whether to teach English farther,
or live on some modicum of pension granted, no man knows. Poor old Dove,
let out upon the Deluge in serge gown: he did bring back a bit of olive,
so to speak;--had the presage but held, as it did in Noah's case!
In a word, the English Sovereignties and Ministries have determined
that an Envoy Extraordinary (one Hotham, they think of), with the due
solemnity, be sent straightway to Berlin; to treat of those interesting
matters, and officially put the question there. Whom Dubourgay is
instructed to announce to his Prussian Majesty, with salutation
from this Court. As Dubourgay does straightway, with a great deal of
pleasure. [Despatches: London, 8th February; Berlin, 2d March, 1780] How
welcome to his Majesty we need not say.
And indeed, after such an announcement (1st March, 1730, the day of
it), they fell into cheerful dialogue; and the Brigadier had some frank
conversation with his Majesty about the "Arbitration Commission" then
sitting at Brunswick, and European affairs in general. Conversation
which is carefully preserved for us in the Brigadier's Despatch of the
morrow. It never was intrinsically of much moment; and is now fallen
very obsolete, and altogether of none: but as a glance at first-hand
into the dim old thoughts of Friedrich Wilhelm, the reader may take it
with him:--
"The King said next, That though we made little noise, yet he knew well
our design--was to kindle a fire in other parts of Lower Germany. To
which I answered, That if his Majesty would give me favorable hearing,
I could easily persuade him of the peaceable intentions of our Allies.
'Well,' says he, 'the Emperor will abandon the Netherlands, and who will
be master of them? I see the day when you will make France so powerful,
that it will be difficult to bring them to reason again.'--DUBOURGAY:
'If the Emperor abandoned the Netherlands, they would be governed by
their own Magistrate, and defended by their own Militia. As to the
French, we are too well persuaded of the benefit of our Allies, to--'
Upon which the King of Prussia said, 'It appeared plainly we had a mind
to dispose as we pleased of Kingdoms and provinces in Italy, so
that probably our next thought would be to do the same in
Germany.'--DUBOURGAY: 'The allotments made in favor of Don Carlos have
been made with the consent of the Emperor and the whole Empire. We could
not suffer a longer interruption of our commerce with Spain, for the
sake of the small difference between the Treaty of Seville and the
Quadruple Alliance, in regard to the Garrison,'"--to the introducing
of Spanish Garrisons, at once, into Parma and Piacenza; which was the
special thunder-bolt of the late Soissons Catastrophe, or Treaty of
Seville.--"'Well, then,' says his Prussian Majesty, 'you must allow,
then, there IS an infraction of the Quadruple Alliance, and that the
Emperor will make war!' 'I hope not,' said I: 'but if so, a Ten-Years
War, in conjunction with the Allies of Seville, never would be so bad as
the interruption of our Commerce with Old and New Spain for one year.'
"The King of Prussia's notion about our DISPOSING OF PROVINCES IN
GERMANY," adds Dubourgay, "is, I believe, an insinuation of Seckendorf,
who, I doubt not, has made him believe we intended to do so with respect
to Berg and Julich."
Very probably:--but Hotham is getting under way, hopeful to spoil that
game. Prussian Majesty, we see, is not insensible to so much honor; and
brightens into hopefulness and fine humor in consequence. What
radiancy spread over the Queen's side of the House we need not say.
The Tobacco-Parliament is like to have a hard task.--Friedrich Wilhelm
privately is well inclined to have his Daughter married, with such
outlooks, if it can be done. The marriage of the Crown-Prince into
such a family would also be very welcome; only--only--There are
considerations on that side. There are reasons; still more there are
whims, feelings of the mind towards an unloved Heir-Apparent: upon these
latter chiefly lie the hopes of Seckendorf and the Tobacco-Parliament.
What the Tobacco-Parliament's specific insinuations and deliberations
were, in this alarming interim, no Hansard gives us a hint. Faint and
timid they needed, at first, to be; such unfavorable winds having
risen, blowing off at a sad rate the smoke of that abstruse
Institution.--"JARNI-BLEU!" snuffles the Feldzeugmeister to himself.
But "SI DEUS EST NOBISCUM," as Grumkow exclaims once to his beautiful
Reichenbach, or NOSTI as he calls him in their slang or cipher language,
"If God is with us, who can prevail against us?" For the Grumkow can
quote Scripture; nay solaces himself with it, which is a feat beyond
what the Devil is competent to.
EXCELLENCY HOTHAM ARRIVES IN BERLIN.
The Special Envoy to be sent to Berlin on this interesting occasion is
a dignified Yorkshire Baronet; Sir Charles Hotham, "Colonel of the
Horse-Grenadiers;" he has some post at Court, too, and is still in his
best years. His Wife is Chesterfield's Sister; he is withal a kind
of soldier, as we see;--a man of many sabre-tashes, at least, and
acquainted with Cavalry-Drill, as well as the practices of Goldsticks:
his Father was a General Officer in the Peterborough Spanish Wars. These
are his eligibilities, recommending him at Berlin, and to Official
men at home. Family is old enough: Hothams of Scarborough in the East
Riding; old as WILHELMUS BASTARDUS; and subsists to our own day. This
Sir Charles is lineal Son of the Hothams who lost their heads in the
Civil War; and he is, so to speak, lineal UNCLE of the Lords Hotham that
now are. For the rest, a handsome figure, prompt in French, and much the
gentleman. So far has Villa sped.
Hotham got to Berlin on Sunday, 2d April, 1730. He had lingered a
little, waiting to gather up some skirts of that Reichenbach-Grumkow
Correspondence, and have them ready to show in the proper Quarter. For
that is one of the chief arrows in his quiver. But here he is at last:
and on Monday, he is introduced at Charlottenburg to the Prussian
Majesty; and finds an abundant welcome to himself and his preliminaries.
"Marriage into that fine high Country (MAGNIFIKE LAND) will be welcome
to my Daughter, I believe, as flowers in May: to me also how can it be
other than welcome!--'Farther instructions,' you say? Yes, surely; and
terms honorable on both sides. Only say nothing of it, I had rather
tell the girl myself." [Ranke, i. 284.] To that frank purport spoke his
Majesty;--and invites the Excellency Hotham to stay dinner.
Great dinner at Charlottenburg, accordingly; Monday, 3d April, 1730:
the two English Excellencies Hotham and Dubourgay, then General Borck,
Knyphausen, Grumkow, Seckendorf and others;--"where," says Hotham,
giving Despatch about it, "we all got immoderately drunk." Of which
dinner there is sordid narrative, from Grumkow to his NOSTI (to his
Reichenbach, in cant speech), still visible through St. Mary Axe, were
it worth much attention from us. Passages of wit, loaded with allusion,
flew round the table: "A German ducat is change for an English
half-guinea," and the like sprightly things. Nay at one time, Hotham's
back being turned, they openly drink,--his Majesty in a state of
exhilaration, having blabbed the secret:--"To the health of Wilhelmina
Princess of Wales!" Upon which the whole Palace of Charlottenburg
now bursts into tripudiation; the very valets cutting capers, making
somersets,--and rushing off with the news to Berlin. Observable, only,
that Hotham and Dubourgay sat silent in the tripudiation; with faces
diplomatically grave. Several points to be settled first; no hallooing
till we are out of the wood.
News came to Berlin Schloss, doubtless at full gallop, which would
only take a quarter of an hour. This is Wilhelmina's experience of
it. Afternoon of Monday, 3d of April, 1730, in the Schloss of
Berlin,--towards sunset, some ornamental seam in one's hand:--
"I was sitting quiet in my Apartment, busy with work, and some one
reading to me, when the Queen's Ladies rushed in, with a torrent of
domestics in the rear; who all bawled out, putting one knee to the
ground, 'They were come to salute the Princess of Wales.' I fairly
believed these poor people had lost their wits; they would not cease
overwhelming me with noise and tumult, their joy was so great they knew
not what they did. When the farce had lasted some time, they at last
told me"--what our readers know. What the demure Wilhelmina professes
she cared next to nothing about. "I was so little moved by it, that I
answered, going on with my work, 'Is that all?' Which greatly surprised
them. A while afterwards my Sisters and several Ladies came also to
congratulate me. I was much loved; and I felt more delighted at the
proofs each gave me of that than at what occasioned them. In the evening
I went to the Queen's: you may readily conceive her joy. On my first
entrance, she called me 'her dear Princess of Wales;' and addressed
Madam de Sonsfeld as 'Milady.' This latter took the liberty of hinting
to her, that it would be better to keep quiet; that the King having
yet given no notice of this business, might be provoked at such
demonstration, and that the least trifle could still ruin all her hopes.
The Countess Finkenstein joining her remonstrances to Sonsfeld's, the
Queen, though with regret, promised to moderate herself." [Wilhelmina,
i. 215.]
This is the effulgent flaming-point of the long-agitated English Match,
which we have so often caught in a bitterly smoking condition. "The King
indeed spoke nothing of it to us, on his return to Berlin in a day
or two," says Wilhelmina; "which we thought strange." But everybody
considered it certain, nothing but the details left to settle. "Hotham
had daily conferences with the King." "Every post brought letters from
the Prince of Wales:" of which Wilhelmina saw several,--this for one
specimen, general purport of the whole: "I conjure you, my dear Hotham,
get these negotiations finished! I am madly in love (AMOUREUX COMME UN
FOU), and my impatience is unequalled." [Ib. i. 218.] Wilhelmina thought
these sentiments "very, romantic" on the part of Prince Fred, "who had
never seen me, knew me only by repute:"--and answered his romances and
him with tiffs of laughter, in a prettily fleecing manner.
Effulgent flame-point;--which was of very brief duration indeed, and
which sank soon into bitterer smoke than ever, down almost to the
choking state. There are now six weeks of Diplomatic History at
the Court of Berlin, which end far otherwise than they began. Weeks
well-nigh indecipherable; so distracted are they, by black-art and
abstruse activities above ground and below, and so distractedly recorded
for us: of which, if it be humanly possible, we must try to convey some
faint notion to mankind.