The Saxon Army is incorporated, then; its King gone under the horizon;
the Saxon Country has a Prussian Board set over it, to administer all
things of Government, especially to draw taxes and recruits from Saxony.
Torgau, seat of this new Board, has got fortified; "1,500 inhabitants
were requisitioned as spademen for that end, at first with
wages,"--latterly, I almost fear, without!
The Saxon Ministers are getting drilled, cashiered if necessary; and on
all hands, rigorous methods going forward;--till Saxony is completely
under grasp; in which state it was held very tight indeed, for the six
years coming. There is no detailing of all that; details, were they even
known to an Editor at such distance, would weary every reader. Enough to
understand that Friedrich has not on this occasion, as he did in 1744,
omitted to disarm Saxony, to hobble it in every limb, and have it,
at discretion, tied as with ropes to his interests and him.
[_Helden-Geschichte, _iii. 945-956.] His management was never accounted
cruel; and it was studiously the reverse of violent or irregular: but it
had to be rigorous as the facts were;--nor was it the worst, or reckoned
the worst, of Saxony's miseries in this time.
Poor Country, suffering for its Bruhl! In the Country, except for its
Bruhl, there was no sin against Prussia; the reverse rather. The Saxon
population, as Protestants, have no good-will to Austria and its aims
of aggrandizement. In Austrian spy-letters, now and afterwards, they are
described to us as "GUT PREUSSISCH;" "strong for Prussia, the most of
them, even in Dresden itself."
Whether Friedrich could have had much real hope to end the War this
Year, or scare it off from beginning, may be a question. If he had, it
is totally disappointed. The Saxon Government has brought ruin on itself
and Country, but it has been of great damage to Friedrich. Would Polish
Majesty have consented to disband his soldiers, and receive Friedrich
with a BONA-FIDE "Neutrality," Friedrich could have passed the
Mountains still in time for a heavy stroke on Bohemia, which was totally
unprepared for such a visit, And he might--from the Towers of Prag, for
instance--have, far more persuasively, held out the olive-branch to
an astonished Empress-Queen: "Leave me alone, Madam; will you, then!
Security for that; I wanted and want nothing more!" But Polish Majesty,
taking on him the character of Austrian martyr, and flinging himself
into the gulf, has prevented all that; has turned all that the other
way.
Austria, it appears, is quite ungrateful: "Was n't he bound?" thinks
Austria,--as its wont rather is. Forgetful of the great deliverance
wrought for it by poor Polish Majesty; whom it could not deliver-except
into bottomless wreck! Austria, grateful or not, stands unscathed; has
time to prepare its Armaments, its vocal Arguments: Austria is in higher
provocation than ever; and its very Arguments, highly vocal to the Reich
and the world, "Is not this man a robber, and enemy of mankind?" do
Friedrich a great deal of ill. Friedrich's sudden Campaign, instead of
landing him in the heart of the Austrian States, there to propose Peace,
has kindled nearly all Europe into flames of rage against him,--which
will not consist in words merely! Never was misunderstanding of a man
at a higher pitch: "Such treatment of a peaceable Neighbor and Crowned
Head,--witness it, ye Heavens and thou Earth!" Dauphiness falling on her
knees to Most Christian Majesty; "Princess and dearest Sister" to Most
Christian Majesty's Pompadour; especially no end of Pleading to the
German Reich, in a furious, Delphic-Pythoness or quasi-inspired tone:
all this goes on.
From the time when Pirna was blockaded, Kaiser Franz, his high Consort
and sense of duty urging him, has been busy in the Reich's-Hofrath (kind
of Privy-Council or Supreme Court of the Reich, which sits at Vienna);
busy there, and in the Reich's Diet at Regensburg; busy everywhere, with
utmost diligence over Teutschland,--forging Reich thunder. Manifestoes,
HOF-DECRETS, DEHORTATORIUMS, EXCITATORIUMS; so goes it, exploding like
Vesuvius, shock on the back of shock:--20th September it began; and
lasts, CRESCENDO, through Winter and onwards, at an extraordinary rate.
[In _Helden-Geschichte_(iv. 163-174; iii. 956; and indeed PASSIM
through those Volumes), the Originals in frightful superabundance.] Of
all which, leaving readers to imagine it, we will say nothing,--except
that it points towards "Armed Interference by the Reich," "Reich's
Execution Army;" nay towards "Ban of the Reich" (total excommunication
of this Enemy of Mankind, and giving of him up to Satan, by bell, book
and candle), which is a kind of thunder-bolt not heard of for a good
few ages past! Thunder-bolt thought to be gone mainly to rust by the
judicious;--
which, however, the poor old Reich did grasp again, and attempt to
launch. As perhaps we shall have to notice by and by, among the miracles
going.
France too, urged by the noblest concern, feels itself called upon.
France magnanimously intimates to the Reich's Diet, once and again,
"That Most Christian Majesty is guarantee of the Treaty of Westphalia;
Most Christian Majesty cannot stand such procedures;" and then
the second time, "That Most Christian Majesty will interfere
practically,"--by 100,000 men and odd. [_Helden-Geschichte, _iv. 340
("26th March, 1757").] In short, the sleeping world-whirlwinds are
awakened against this man. General Dance of the Furies; there go they,
in the dusky element, those Eumenides, "giant-limbed, serpent-haired,
slow-pacing, circling, torch in hand" (according to Schiller),--
scattering terror and madness. At least, in the Diplomatic Circles of
mankind;--if haply the Populations will follow suit!--
Friedrich, abundantly contemptuous of Reich's-thunder in the rusted
kind, and well able to distinguish sound from substance in the Reich or
elsewhere, recognizes in all this sufficiently portentous prophecies of
fact withal; and understands, none better, what a perilous position he
has got into. But he cannot mend it;--can only, as usual, do his own
utmost in it. As readers will believe he does; and that his vigilance
and diligence are very great. Continual, ubiquitous and at the top of
his bent, one fancies his effort must have been,--though he makes
no noise on the subject. Considerable work he has with Hanover,
this Winter; with the poor English Government, and their "Army of
Observation," which is to appear in the Hanover parts, VERSUS those
100,000 French, next Spring. To Hanover he has sent Schmettau (the
Younger Schmettau, Elder is now dead) in regard to said Army; has made
a new and closer Treaty with England (impossible to be fulfilled on poor
England's part);--and laments, as Mitchell often does, the tragically
embroiled condition of that Country, struggling so vehemently, to no
purpose, to get out of bed, and not unlike strangling or smothering
itself in its own blankets, at present! With and in regard to Saxony,
his work is of course extremely considerable; and in regard to his own
Army, and its coming Business, considerablest of all. Counter-Manifesto
work, to state his case in a distinct manner, and leave it with
the Populations if the Diplomacies are deaf: this too, is copiously
proceeding; under Artists who probably do not require much supervision.
In fact, no King living has such servants, in the Civil or the Military
part, to execute his will. And no King so little wastes himself in
noises; a King who has good command of himself, first of all; not to be
thrown off his balance by any terror, any provocation even, though his
temper is very sharp.
Friedrich in person is mainly at Dresden, lodged in the Bruhl
Palace;--endless wardrobes and magnificences there; three hundred and
sixty-FOUR Pairs of Breeches hanging melancholy, in a widowed manner:
C'EST ASSEZ DE CULOTTES; MONTREZ-MOI DES VERTUS! Bruhl is far away, in
Poland; Madam Bruhl has still her Apartments in this Palace,--a frugal
King needs only the necessary spaces. Madam Bruhl is very busy here; and
not to good purpose, being well seen into. "She had a cask of wine sent
her from Warsaw," says Friedrich; "orders were given to decant for her
every drop of the wine, but to be sure and bring us the cask." Cask
was found to have two bottoms, intermediate space filled with
spy-correspondence. Madam Bruhl protests and pleads, Friedrich not
unpolite in reply; his last Letter to her says, "Madam, it is better
that you go and join your Husband."
Another high Dame gets sausages from Bohemia;--some of Friedrich's light
troops have an appetite, beyond strict law for sausages; break in, find
Letters along with the other stuffing. [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ iv. 108;
Mitchell, "27th March, 1757" (Raumer p. 321).] Friedrich has a good deal
of watching and coercing to do in that kind,--some arresting, conveyance
even to Custrin for a time, though nothing crueler proved needful. To
the poor Queen he keeps up civilities, but is obliged to be strict as
Argus;--she made him a Gift too, the NIGHT of Correggio, admired NOTTE
of Correggio; having heard that he sat before it silent for half an
hour, on entering that fine Gallery,--which is due to our Sovereign Lord
and his Bruhl, alas! On the other hand, Friedrich had to take from her
Majesty's Royal Abode those Hundred Swiss of Body-guard; to discharge
the same, and put Prussians in their stead. Nay, at one time, on loud
outcry from her Majesty, and great private cause of complaint against
her, there was talk of sending the poor Royal lady to Warsaw, after her
Husband; but her objection being violent, nothing came of that: Winter
following, her poor Majesty died, [27th November, 1757.] and gave nobody
any farther trouble.
Friedrich's outposts, especially in the Lausitz, are a good deal
disturbed by Austrian Tolpatcheries; and do feats, heroic in the small
way, in smiting down that rabble. A valuable Officer or two is lost in
such poor service, poor but indispensable; [Funeral Discourses (of a
very curious, ponderous and serious tone), in _Gesammelte Nachrichten,
_ii. 458, 464, &c.] and the troops have not always the repose which is
intended them. Lieutenant-Colonel Loudon (Scotch by kindred, and famous
enough before long) is the soul of these Croat enterprises,--and gets
his Colonelcy by them, in a month or two; Browne recommending. Loudon
had arrived too late for Lobositz, but had been with Browne to
Schandau; and, on the march homewards, did a bright feat of the Croat
kind:--surprisal, very complete, of that Hill-Castle of Tetschen and
considerable Hussar Party there; done in a style which caught the eye of
Browne; and was the beginning of great things to poor Loudon, after
his twenty years of painful eclipse under the Indigo Trencks, and
miscellaneous Doggeries, Austrian and Russian. [LA VIE DU FELDMARECHAL
BARON DE LOUDON (Translation of one Pezzl's German: a Vienne et a Paris,
1792), i. 1-32.]
Tetschen, therefore, will again need capture by the Prussians, if they
again intend that way. And in the mean while, Friedrich, to counterpoise
those mischievous Croat people, has bethought him of organizing
a similar Force of his own;--Foot chiefly, for, on hint of former
experience, he already has Hussars in quantity. And, this Winter, there
are accordingly, in different Saxon Towns, three Irregular Regiments
getting ready for him; three "Volunteer Colonels" busily enlisting each
his "Free Corps," such the title chosen;--chief Colonel of them one
Mayer, now in Zwickau neighborhood with 6 or 700 loose handy fellows
round him, getting formed into strict battalion there: [Pauli (our old
diffuse friend), _Leben grosser Helden des gegenwartigen Krieges _(9
vols., Halle, 1759-1764), iii. 159,? Mayr.] of whom, and of whose
soldiering, we shall hear farther. For the plan was found to answer; and
extended itself year after year; and the "Prussian Free Corps," one way
and another, made considerable noise in the world.
Outwardly Friedrich's Life is quiet; busy, none can be more so; but to
the on-looker, placid, polite especially. He hears sermon once or twice
in the Kreuz-Kirche (Protestant High Church); then next day will hear
good music, devotional if you call it so, in the Catholic Church, where
her Polish Majesty is. Daily at the old hour he has his own Concert, now
and then assisting with his own flute. Makes donations to the Poor, and
such like, due from Saxon Sovereignty while held by him; on the other
hand, reduces salaries at a sad rate Guarini, Queen's Confessor,
from near 2,000 pounds to little more than 300 pounds, for one
instance;--cuts off about 25,000 pounds in all under this head.
[_Helden-Geschichte, _iv. 306 ("December, 1756").] And is heavy with
billeting, as new Prussians arrive. Billets at length in the very
Ambassadors' Hotels,--and by way of apology to the Excellencies,
signifies to them in a body: "Sorry for the necessity, your
Excellencies: but ought not you to go to Warsaw rather? Your credentials
are to his Polish Majesty. He is not here; nor coming hither, for some
time!" Which hint, I suppose, the Excellencies mostly took. From his
own Forests there came by the Elbe great rafts of firewood, to warm his
soldiers in their quarters. Once or twice he makes excursions, of a day
of two days; to the Lausitz, to Leipzig (through Freyberg, where he
has a post of importance);--very gracious to the University people:
"Students be troubled with soldiering? Far from it ye learned Gentlemen,
servants of the Muses! Recruitment, a lamentable necessity, is to go
on under your own Official people, and wholly by the old methods."
[_Helden-Geschichte, _iv. 303-313; UNIVERSITATSANSCHLAG ZU LEIPZIG,
WEGEN DER WERBUNG ("University-Placard about Enlisting:" in _Gesammelte
Nachrichten, _i. 811).]
Once, and once only, he made a run to Berlin, January 4th-18th, 1757:
the last for six years and more. Came with great despatch, Brother Henri
with him, whole journey in one day; got, "to his Mother's about 11
at night." [Ib. iv. 308.] A joyful meeting, for the kindred: cheerful
light-gleam in the dark time, so suddenly eclipsed to them and others
by those hurricanes that have risen. His Majesty seems to be in perfect
health; and wears no look of gloom. At Berlin is no Carnival this
year; all are grave, sunk in sad contemplations of the future. Of his
businesses in this interval, which were many, I will say nothing; only
of one little Act he did, the day before his departure: the writing of
this SECRET LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS to Graf Finck von Finkenstein,
his chief Home Minister, one of his old boy-comrades, as readers may
recollect. The Letter was read by Count Finck with profound attention,
11th January, 1757, and conned over till he knew every point of
it; after which he sealed it up, inscribing on the Cover:
"HOCHSTEIGENHANDIGE UND GANX GEHEIME"--that is, "Highest-Autographic and
altogether Secret Instructions, by the King, which, with the Appendixes,
were delivered to me, Graf von Finkenstein, the 12th of January, 1757."
In this docketing it lay, sealed for many years (none knows how many),
then unsealed, still in strict keeping, in the Private Royal Archives"
[Preuss, i. 449.]--till on Friedrich's Birthday, 24th January, 1854, it
was, with some solemnity, lithographed at Berlin, and distributed to a
select public,--as readers shall see.
"SECRET INSTRUCTION FOR THE GRAF VON FINCK.
"BERLIN, 10th January, 1757.
"In the critical situation our affairs are in, I ought to give you my
orders, so that in all the disastrous cases which are in the possibility
of events, you be authorized for taking the necessary steps.
"1. If it chanced (which Heaven forbid) that one of my Armies in Saxony
were totally beaten; or that the French should drive the Hanoverians
from their Country [which they failed not to do], and establish
themselves there, and threaten us with an invasion into the Altmark; or
that the Russians should get through by the Neumark,--you are to save
the Royal Family, the principal DICASTERIA [Land-Schedules, Lists of
Tax-dues], the Ministries and the Directorium [which is the central
Ministry of all]. If it is in Saxony on the Leipzig side that we are
beaten, the fittest place for the removal of the Royal Family, and of
the Treasure, is to Custrin: in such case the Royal Family and all above
named must go, escorted by the whole Garrison" of Berlin, "to Custrin.
If the Russians entered by the Neumark, or if a misfortune befell us
in the Lausitz, it would be to Magdeburg that all would have to go: in
fine, the last refuge is Stettin,--but you must not go till the
last extremity. The Garrison, the Royal Family and the Treasure are
inseparable, and go always together: to this must be added the Crown
Diamonds, the Silver Plate in the Grand Apartments,--which, in such
case, as well as the Gold Plate, must be at once coined into money.
"If it happened that I were killed, the Public Affairs must go on
without the smallest alteration, or its being noticeable that they are
in other hands: and, in this case, you must hasten forward the Oaths and
Homagings, as well here as in Preussen; and, above all, in Silesia. If
I should have the fatality to be taken prisoner by the Enemy, I prohibit
all of you from paying the least regard to my person, or taking the
least heed of what I might write from my place of detention. Should such
misfortune happen me, I wish to sacrifice myself for the State; and you
must obey my Brother,--who, as well as all my Ministers and Generals,
shall answer to me with their heads, Not to offer any Province or any
Ransom for me, but to continue the War, pushing their advantages, as if
I never had existed in the world.
"I hope, and have ground to believe, that you, Count Finck, will not
need to make use of this Instruction: but in case of misfortune, I
authorize you to employ it; and, as mark that it is, after a mature and
sound deliberation, my firm and constant will, I sign it with my Hand
and confirm it with my Seal."
Or, in Friedrich's own spelling &c., so far as our possibilities
permit:--
"INSTRUCTION SECRETE POUR LE CONTE DE FINE.
"BERLIN, ce 10 de Janv. 1757.
"Dans La Situation Critique ou se trouvent nos affaires je dois Vous
donner mes Ordres pour que dans tout Les Cas Malheureux qui sont dans
la possibilite des Evenemens vous Soyez autorisse aux partis quil faut
prendre. 1)[Yes; but there follows no "2)" anywhere, such the haste!]
Sil arivoit (de quoi le Ciel preserve) qu'une de mes Armees en Saxse fut
totallement battue, oubien que Les francais chassassent Les Hanovryeins
de Leur pais et si etablissent et nous menassassent d'un Invassion
dans la Vieille Marche, ou que les Russes penetrassent par La Nouvelle
Marche, il faut Sauver la famille Royale, les principeaux Dicasteres
les Ministres et le Directoire. Si nous somes battus en Saxse du Cote
de leipssic Le Lieu Le plus propre pour Le transport de La famille et du
Tressor est a Custrin, il faut en ce Cas que la famille Royalle et touts
cidesus nomez aillent esCortez de toute La Guarnisson a Custrin. Si les
Russes entroient par la Nouvele Marche ou quil nous arivat un Malheur
en Lusace, il faudroit que tout Se transportat a Magdebourg, enfin Le
Derni& refuge est a Stetein, mais il ne hut y all&r qu'a La Derniere
exstremite La Guarnisson la famille Royalle et le Tressort sent
Inseparables et vont toujours ensemble il faut y ajouter les Diamans de
la Couronne, et L'argenterie des Grands Apartements qui en pareil cas
ainsi que la Veselle d'or doit etre incontinant Monoyee. Sil arivoit
que je fus tue, il faut que Les affaires Continuent Leur train sans la
Moindre allteration et Sans qu'on s'apersoive qu'elles sont en d'autre
Mains, et en ce Cas il faut hater Sermens et homages tant ici qu'en
prusse et surtout en Silesie. Si j'avois la fatalite d'etre pris
prissonier par L'Enemy, je Defend qu'on Aye le Moindre egard pour ma
perssonne ni qu'on fasse La Moindre reflextion sur ce que je pourois
ecrire de Ma Detention, Si pareil Malheur m'arivoit je Veux me
Sacriffier pour L'Etat et il faut qu'on obeisse a Mon frere le quel
ainsi que tout Mes Ministres et Generaux me reponderont de leur Tette
qu'on offrira ni province ni ransson pour moy et que lon Continuera la
Guerre en poussant Ses avantages tout Come si je n'avais jamais exsiste
dans le Monde. J'espere et je dois Croire que Vous Conte finc n'aurez
pas bessoin de faire usage de Cette Instruction mais en cas de Malheur
je Vous autorisse a L'Employer, et Marque que C'est apres Une Mure et
saine Deliberation Ma ferme et Constante Volonte je le Signe de Ma Main
et la Muni de mon Cachet,
"FREDERIC R."
[Fac simile of Autograph (Berlin, 24th January, 1854), where is some
indistinct History of the Document. Printed also in _OEuvres,_ xxv.
319-323.]
These, privately made law in this manner, are Friedrich's fixed feelings
and resolutions;--how fixed is now farther apparent by a fact which was
then still more private, guessable long afterwards only by one or two,
and never clearly known so long as Friedrich lived: the fact that he had
(now most probably, though the date is not known) provided poison for
himself, and constantly wore it about his person through this War. "Five
or six small pills, in a small glass tube, with a bit of ribbon to
it:" that stern relic lay, in a worn condition, in some drawer of
Friedrich's, after Friedrich was gone. [Preuss, ii. 175, 315 n.] For the
Facts are peremptory; and a man that will deal with them must be equally
so.
Two days after this Finck missive, Friday, 12th, Friedrich took farewell
at Berlin, drove to Potsdam that night with his Brother, to Dresden next
day. Adieu, Madam; Adieu, O Mother! said the King, in royal terms, but
with a heart altogether human. "May God above bless you, my Son!" the
old Lady would reply:--and the Two had seen one another for the last
time; Mother and Son were to meet no more in this world.