JOHN FREDERICK STRUENSEE.
THE INTERIM MINISTRY--STATE OF THE NATION--THE KING'S HEALTH--THE
DUKE OF GLOUCESTER--STRUENSEE--HIS EDUCATION AND CAREER--HIS
FRIENDS--SHACK ZU RANTZAU--THE TRAVELLING SURGEON--THE COURT
DOCTOR--THE PARTIES AT COURT--PLANS OF CAROLINE MATILDA.
The three ministers who had managed the affairs of state during the King
of Denmark's absence, were Counts von Thott and Moltke, and Herr von
Rosenkrantz. The first attended to home affairs; the second occupied the
post of foreign minister, rendered vacant by Bernstorff's absence; and
the third was at the head of the War Office. The Admiralty had recently
lost a respected chief, through the removal of old Count von Danneskjold
Samsöe, and Count von Danneskjold Laurvig, who took his place, was far
from filling it worthily. Of these four men, Rosenkrantz was the only one
to whom the attention of those who sought a party leader could be turned.
He was a thorough man of the world; a noble air, insinuating politeness,
elegant manners, a polished mind, a great propensity for intrigue, and
an artistic suppleness, were the principal qualities of this man, and
rendered him well fitted to play a part in court intrigues. But it was as
yet too early to think of forming a party. The first period of the king's
government had offered too many examples that the highest favour and the
lowest fall were too near together for any one to place confidence either
in his own good luck, or that of another person.
The three other men I have mentioned, regarded the court quarrels
as intrigues that were beneath them. Count von Thott, an honest and
well-informed man, had a rich source of consolation against any blow of
fate in himself and his acquirements. In every conjuncture he proved
equal to himself and his merits. He accepted whatever fortune offered him
without arrogance, and lost it without despondency. Such a man was not
born for political intrigue. Count von Moltke had played such a brilliant
part in the last reign; he had so carefully and cautiously profited by
the favouring circumstances of that day; he was so highly respected
throughout the kingdom, that there was reason for believing that, under
all circumstances, he would be alone able to withstand any opposition
offered him by the court. It is true, that his ambition was notorious.
It was known that he regarded pomp as an indispensable accompaniment of
happiness. But people also reflected that there is an age when the spur
of ambition becomes blunted, and when a man does not care to sacrifice
the pleasant repose of undisturbed happiness to imaginary and uncertain
prospects.
Count Laurvig had only the manner and acquirements which are attained
by long practice and intimacy with high society. He had also ever
sacrificed his reputation to his pleasures; and, in some affairs, had
behaved with such recklessness, that he had forfeited the general respect
which he possessed before these errors. With such principles, no man
can advance far on the path of ambition. From the last three members
of the government, therefore, no complicated court intrigues could be
anticipated.
The Danish people, at this time, were in a state of sullen discontent.
They were dissatisfied with the maintenance of the poll tax, which they
had been promised should be soon abolished, when it was established in
1762, on the occasion of an impending war with Russia; but they were
probably more dissatisfied with the way in which the money was spent
than with the tax itself. The Norwegians, more especially, were very
angry, and broke into complaints, whose tone was extremely serious. This
dissatisfaction had hardly been appeased, and the people were beginning
to endure the burden more patiently, when a new source of sorrow and
anger was opened for the nation. This was the king's costly tour, which
exhausted the finances, and caused a suspension of all the outlay, by
which the nation had previously profited. Road-making, the maintenance
of the royal palaces, the proposed augmentation of the army, were all
prevented. Ready money was sent out of the country; the rate of exchange
with Hamburg rose enormously; trade began to sink, and credit almost
disappeared.[87]
In this sad condition, Christian found his kingdom on his return. His
fickle mind, which dwelt on nothing that did not relate to his own
insignificant amusements, prevented him from weighing the serious nature
of these facts, and destroyed in him every feeling that should have
called his attention to them. On the other hand, we must allow, that
all who now saw the king again, were struck by the favourable change
which the tour had produced in him. He had acquired an elegant manner,
and laid aside many of his bad habits. At the same time, he had really
examined much abroad, and thus gained wider views. Hence, Bernstorff was
complimented on the good results of the royal trip, and people seemed
quite to overlook the fact that Holck was still Christian's intimate
friend; and that, on the 25th August last, the king had appointed him
Grand Maître de la Garderobe et des plaisirs, by which the count was
raised to the rank of a privy councillor, only nine months after his
nomination as a gentleman of the bed-chamber. In fact, the king's
attachment to his favourite had attained such a height, that one day, in
England, by Christian's orders, the couriers' horses were almost ridden
to death, solely to bring up the count in time to be present at a large
party, where he would meet the new lady of his love. For Count Holck had
been left a widower after only a few weeks' marriage with the delicate
Fräulein von Stockfleth, but speedily contrived to console himself. He
fell in love with Lady Bel Stanhope, and Christian himself interposed
on his behalf. The mother was not averse, but Lady Bel very sensibly
refused. His rival was Sackville, afterwards Duke of Dorset, of whom, as
Walpole tells us, he said "ce gros noir n'est pas beau," which implied,
that he thought his own whiteness and pertness charming. Amusing tales
were whispered about the intimacy of the king and the master of the
wardrobe, and their amours during the tour; and, in truth, after the
first impression had worn off, the king's state of health, which had
never been satisfactory, proved of what nature the amusements of the
friends must principally have been. The incessant variety of stupifying
amusements, and, at the same time, an excessive indulgence in sensual
pleasures, had evidently exhausted the king, and undermined his moral and
physical powers.
We can quite understand how the complaints about augmentation of the
taxes grew louder when it was found that the chief object of the tour,
the moral improvement of the young king, had been an utter failure.
Enormous sums had to be found to pay for the articles purchased in
England and France, and fresh loans, as a necessary result, raised.
Matters now came to such a pitch that the Treasury was unable to satisfy
the current expenses, which caused great embarrassment. And it must be
borne in mind that the Danish population was not in a condition to endure
any increased taxation. Prince Charles of Hesse gives us a dreadful
picture of the country as it remained from the time when he first visited
it up to the reign of Frederick VI. The peasant was a serf in Denmark
in the fullest meaning of the term. There was no justice for him; no
protection against his owner. Many of the latter had been the bailiffs,
who had ruined their absent masters, and eventually purchased their
estates. The wretched Danish peasant stood under the merciless whip of
these vile men. He was at the mercy of his master, who compelled him to
take a poor farm and put it in order, and when he had got it into a good
state by the sweat of his brow and his industry, drove him out to do
the same at another farm. The master forced him to marry whomsoever he
thought proper. At the slightest opposition, he handed over the wretch to
the militia, or sold him for 50 crowns to a captain, on condition that he
would never again be allowed to set foot in his native province.
Jütland was the most trampled province; but in Zeeland affairs were worst
of all, for there the peasant was almost quite brutalized. He possessed
a number of small horses, which, in winter, supported themselves almost
exclusively on grass or roots, which they scratched from under the snow;
little carts in which the boors took a small lot of grain to market; huts
that resembled those of savages--such was the almost hideous aspect of
this fair province. The only market which even the most distant farmers
could attend was held at Copenhagen. They came to market, made their
sales, ran to the tavern to drink, started home drunk, and with loosened
rein, but stopped punctually at every pothouse, of which there was one
every mile, so that they might not emerge from the only happy condition
they knew. At the same time, Denmark derived everything from abroad; and
Hamburg was the _entrepôt_ of articles of luxury, delicate eating, and
dainty vegetables.[88] From such a sketch, we can easily understand why
the nation groaned in spirit at the extravagant outlay entailed by the
king's hopeless tour.
Under such depressing circumstances, the nation was naturally greatly
annoyed at finding that the treasury had frequently to aid Count Holck
in defraying his lavish expenditure. Thus, for instance, he purchased
the Blaagaard Villa, in front of the northern gate of the capital, and
decorated it with handsome new buildings and fine gardens. Nothing more
was heard, however, of the former nocturnal scenes, as we have seen how
the king's first mistress was expelled from Copenhagen. From this time,
the police were enabled to do their duty during any night rows, while,
prior to the king's tour, the police-master had been ordered not to
interfere with the king or any of his suite. The result of this was, that
many offences committed by other persons were attributed to the king.[89]
After the king's return, a different mode of life was introduced at
court,--the former short dinner-hour was lengthened, and, though kept
within the limits of ceremony, employed for general conversation. The
king inspected the docks and scientific institutions of the capital,
probably with the object of comparing them with those he had seen abroad.
It was also noticed with satisfaction that the king was beginning to busy
himself with the affairs of government, which, it was supposed, must be
ascribed to Bernstorff's good influence, although the premier was still
unable to carry out his favourite decree of attaining the dignity of
Grand Chancellor.
The court itself had also grown more lively. The two queen dowagers and
the hereditary Prince Frederick had sought, during the last summer,
amusement by paying each other visits at their summer houses, and by
staying with the nobles at their country seats. The reigning queen,
however, remained at Frederiksberg, and found her only delight in her
little son, the crown prince. In September, she and Juliana Maria
returned to the capital to spend the winter there; and at the beginning
of autumn, the opening of the theatre afforded them some slight
amusement.
In proportion as the king declined and degenerated in his physical and
intellectual powers, Matilda had made more than proportionate advances.
Her person was much increased in height and breadth; her air and
appearance were more dignified and imposing; her mind seemed to have
acquired firmness; and, on their first interview, her conscious husband
absolutely started at the improved appearance of his queen; reflecting on
his own imbecility, he seemed half reluctant, half afraid to meet her.[90]
We have seen that intrigues were at work, during the king's absence, to
heighten the alienation he felt from his wife, and ere long his behaviour
to her subsided from cold familiarity into cruel disrespect. Matilda,
who felt a reluctance to acquaint the royal family in England with the
daily mortifications and slights she met with from the king and his
step-mother, gave vent to her grief and vexation in a letter which she
wrote to the Princess Mary of Hesse Cassel. This lady's consanguinity
with the King of Denmark, and the marriage of her son with Christian's
sister, doubtless suggested the application to her. The following is an
exact copy of the letter:--
COPENHAGEN, _March 22, 1769_.
MADAM AND GOOD AUNT,
You are not unacquainted with the arts, devices, and aspiring views
of the queen dowager, who seems solely bent on undermining the royal
authority, the exercises of which she assumes solely to herself; and,
after having made the king contemptible to his subjects, in availing
herself of his weakness, to give a sanction to the most flagrant acts of
violence, injustice, and oppression. She has forfeited all claims to the
sentiments of forgiveness and moderation I have too long manifested, in
opposition to censure, insolence, and obloquy, by her last most injurious
and false aspersions on my reputation and the dignity of a reigning
queen. I am amazed at the king's torpor and insensibility. If any person
of my attendance shows a laudable zeal for my service, or a respectful
attachment to my person, it is reputed a crime, and punished with royal
displeasure and dismission. Some reasons dictated by prudence have
prevented me from troubling the king, my brother, on this disagreeable
subject, as he might perhaps think it highly improper to interfere in
grievances which he has no right to redress. I have applied to your known
benevolence to do me the kind office of advising me, that I may bring
the king to a sense of his wrongs and his injustice. Would you take upon
yourself; as for as it is consistent with your discretion, to assist me
in such a perplexing situation. I could never sufficiently acknowledge
your friendly interposition to restore the peace of mind of
Your affectionate
CAROLINE.
* * * * *
Princess Mary begged the queen, her niece, would excuse her from taking
any part in these royal feuds, which, instead of producing the desired
effect, might perhaps stimulate her rival's vengeance, to offer her
Majesty some new affronts and indignities. She professed, at the same
time, a great concern for her troubles and anxiety, hoping her Majesty's
good sense and conduct would confound the vile imputations of Juliana,
and make the king sensible of his errors.
If the public entertained any doubts as to the terms on which the
king and queen stood to each other, they were removed when the court
proceeded, in May, to the palace of Frederiksberg, near Copenhagen. This
gave the affair another turn, and soon dispelled the good opinion about
a change in the king's mode of life, and the fancied wedded happiness
of the young queen. Count Holck now lived at the "Blue Farm," in close
proximity to the summer residence of the court, after being married on
May 8, to the Countess Juliana Sophia, daughter of the admiral, Count
Danneskjold Laurvig, which, however, did not prevent him from continuing
his old course of life. Elegant court dames lodged for the summer in
villas round his country seat, and a constant communication was kept up
between Frederiksberg and the "Blaagaard."
In July, a visit from the Duke of Gloucester, brother of Queen Caroline
Matilda, gave occasion for numerous court festivities, but also for
an increased dislike on the part of the queen against the favourite.
One day, the king asked Count Holck, whom the duke resembled? And the
impudent favourite answered, "An English ox." The duke was in truth
extremely stout, and had a corresponding broad face. The king laughed at
his favourite's joke, but was so malicious as to repeat Holck's sally
to the queen. The duke appears to have enjoyed himself right royally
while in Copenhagen, for we read that he and his gentlemen indulged so
immoderately at table, after the fashion of the age, that they were
obliged to take foot-baths, and use other preventives, for fear of an
attack of apoplexy before morning.
The boldness which the favourite displayed, and the loose life he himself
led, and to which he habituated the king, at length aroused a party
against him, which plainly increased more and more daily. At the head
of it was the Supreme Court Marshal Frederick Christian von Moltke, who
had recently been deposed on behalf of a man who in other respects stood
far below him. But this Count Moltke did not possess the cleverness and
practised craft of his father, and did not know how to overthrow the
arrogant favourite. This was reserved for another man, from whom it had
not been expected. This man of bourgeois origin contrived within a short
period to remove not only Count Holck, but nearly all those in authority,
and to introduce a spirit into the government which, had it not been
overthrown, might have had the best consequences for land and nation; for
the most important of his reforms were such as had endured a lengthened
trial. This man was Dr. Struensee.
JOHN FREDERICK STRUENSEE was born at Halle, on August 5, 1737, where his
father, Adam Struensee, the son of a cloth-factor, in New Ruppin, was at
the time preacher at St. Ulrich's Church. His mother, Maria Dorothea, was
the only daughter of Dr. Carl, a man given to mysticism, who had been
appointed physician in ordinary by Christian VII.'s grandfather, and died
in 1757, as a practising physician at Mildorf, in Dittmarsch, at the
great age of ninety years.[91]
Struensee had light brown, almost flaxen hair, blue, sharp, and flashing
eyes, an aquiline nose, and a high forehead; he was firmly built, and
gifted with an admirable ability, great desire for learning, and a most
excellent memory.[92] He received his first education at the Orphan
School of his native town, where religious instruction was not only
treated superficially, but several of his teachers were also given to
mysticism. In their lessons they constantly said, "This you must believe,
because God has spoken so in the Bible," but offered no proof that the
Bible was really the word of God. Struensee concluded from this, that his
teachers regarded the Bible as of divine origin, solely because they had
been taught so in their youth, and was not satisfied with this.
It happened on one occasion that many of his fellow-pupils, of whom
several were of notoriously loose morals, declared that they had been
suddenly enlightened and converted. All sorts of edifying exercises
were at once performed with these young men. Struensee, and others of
his school friends, who were not among the enlightened, considered this
ridiculous; and the foolish penance which the teachers imposed upon
them in consequence, rendered Struensee only the more obstinate. The
pietistic teachers declared that it was as godless to go about in ruffles
and powdered hair as to commit actual sin. Struensee drew from this the
conclusion, that as the former cannot possibly be sinful, consequently
excesses are just as little sinful. The religious views of his parents,
with which they sought to inoculate their son, also aided to confirm the
young man in his free-thinking opinions, as he was too clever not to give
the preference to an unfeigned belief in God. The father incessantly told
his incredulous son how he, from his youth up, had felt in himself the
most powerful workings of grace, and was constantly tormenting him with
other religious tenets of a nature more or less abstruse. The mother,
who had by her marriage been only confirmed in the misty views she had
imbibed from her father, entirely agreed with her husband, and thus did
her part to turn her son against his home; and, lastly, the father's
ill-applied strictures hardened young Struensee's heart against all the
exhortations of his over-pious parents. The sermons which he was forced
to listen to on Sunday were powerless to produce any other opinion about
religion. He saw persons at church weeping from remorse, and found them
after the tears of pious repentance had been shed, no better than they
had been before. The result was, that Struensee, in opposition to these
hypocrites, became a perfect free-thinker.
Another trait of Struensee's character forms the keynote of his
catastrophe. He was from an early age gifted with an enterprising and
restless mind, and an unbridled ambition. This fact aroused in his father
a well-founded apprehension, when he heard of his son's rapid progress
in the world. "My son," he said to a friend, "will not be able to bear
the favour of his monarch." These words contain Struensee's whole fate.
Moreover, he had always an immoderate propensity for pleasure, and
very liberal views as regards morality. Such faults are wont to assume
enormous proportions in the intoxication of fortune: they are the more
dangerous for a man whose career attracts the general attention; they
lead him into serious errors; and any statesman ought carefully to try
and keep them in submission.[93]
With what remarkable abilities the young man must have been endowed is
proved by the fact that he was able to matriculate at the University of
Halle in his fourteenth year, and had not completed his twentieth when
he received his degree as Doctor. In 1757, the call of his father to be
chief preacher in the town church of Altona had a material influence on
Struensee's fate. The young doctor accompanied his father there, and
remained for a time in the house of his parents. Ere long, however, he
entered the public service, for, on October 20 of the same year, he
was appointed by the government town physician of Altona, and country
physician of the lordship of Pinneberg and the county of Rantzau. When
his father, who had become celebrated as a theologian, was appointed by
the government superintendent-general of the two duchies, and removed
first to Rendsburg and then to Schleswig, the young doctor bought a house
in Altona, and set up his own household. His table was laid at dinner for
six persons, at supper for four, and the meals were accompanied by clever
conversation. The host often gave free course to his satire, though
without offending any one, and his guests were principally men of letters
and officers.
In a small pamphlet I have picked up,[94] there is a curious anecdote,
which serves to show the humorous side of Struensee's character. He once
invited to dinner four persons, all of whom he knew to be on unfriendly
terms. He delighted in the sour face cut by each new corner on seeing his
aversion, but tried to reconcile them. Each of the guests whispered in
his ear, "Why did you not tell me you were going to ask them, and then I
would have come to you another time?" He laughed, and justly ridiculed
an animosity which pedants are so fond of keeping up. Another curious
circumstance is, that two skeletons stood by Struensee's bedside, holding
burning candles in their hands. Whether he really read at night in this
anything but agreeable company in order to habituate himself with death,
cannot be positively asserted.
From 1760-62, Panning, a well-known literary man of the day, lived
with Struensee, and the couple started, in July, 1763, a new literary
experiment, called the "Monthly Journal, for Instruction and Amusement."
The first number is now lying before me; but there is nothing very
wonderful in it. It is supposed that an article, under the heading of
"Thoughts of a Surgeon about the Causes of Depopulation in a given
Country," was written by Struensee, because the essay contains ideas
which were afterwards set in practice by him. Although the magazine
contained various articles quite equal to the average of those days, it
was dropped at the end of six months, and when Struensee was asked why
he had not gone on with it, as it was generally popular, he replied that
literature did not pay. Afterwards, he published some medico-scientific
treatises, and an essay on the respect which an author ought to entertain
for the public.
Struensee's studies and reading were not restricted to professional
topics. One of his favourite authors was Voltaire; but he also had a
great veneration for J. J. Rousseau. With Helvetius, he inclined to the
opinion, that as all men have equal organisms, they must be competent to
attain the same things, and this axiom he applied to himself through the
flattery of others. With Boulanger, he also assumed at that time that
fear of all mighty nature was the primitive source of all religions among
the ancient nations. Although Struensee never swerved in his belief that
the universe and the human race had their origin in Deity, he could never
be brought to the conviction that man was composed of two substances.
He assumed that God set human nature first in action, but that when the
machine ceased acting, _i.e._, when a man died, he had nothing more to
hope or fear.
In the meanwhile Struensee continued to work faithfully in his
profession. Some successful cures gained him a reputation, and as he
was sincere and frank, never condemned others or judged too severely,
he acquired numerous friends. His agreeable person and pleasant manners
helped to make him a popular physician, and we can quite understand how
the ladies selected the good-looking doctor to attend to their maladies,
real or pretended. After the fashion of the day, the ladies had their
little jests with him, and he confessed, though always in a delicate
manner, that he was an admirer of the fair sex. When, however, persons
tried to make him blush by repeating to him some loose anecdote connected
with himself, he always blunted its point by displaying the utmost
discretion.[95] It is to be regretted that he did not follow the same
good rule in the awful crisis of his life.
Struensee soon gained access to the first houses, and found a powerful
patron in Privy Councillor Imperial Count Hans zu Rantzau-Ascheberg.[96]
This count's son was Major General SCHACK KARL, Count ZU RANTZAU, who
became one of the principal actors in the ensuing tragedy. He soon became
intimate with the young doctor, and they made an agreement that if either
of them attained power, he should help the other. They became the more
intimate, because the doctor's help was often needed for the accouchement
of persons with whom Rantzau had had adulterous intercourse. Struensee
rendered these services with a generosity far above his fortune; even
more, he supported Rantzau for some time, and advanced him the necessary
funds to appear at court; so that Struensee, instead of being the count's
protégé, rather played the part of protector. Rantzau, by his flattery,
gave the doctor an exaggerated idea of his capacity, and fostered in
him the ambition which became his ruin. The count, however, only thought
of gaining a creature, and fully believed that if he ever became again a
great lord and general officer, Struensee would no longer be his friend,
but his client and physician. In the latter capacity Struensee rendered
him a signal service. Countess zu Rantzau, while residing at Altona, was
attacked by small-pox of a very malignant character. All the Rantzaus
combined in demanding that another physician should be called in, but
the husband insisted and declared that his friend had genius, which was
better than science. The disease was very well treated, and the cure of
the countess rendered the doctor dear to all the family, their friends,
and protégés.[97]
Another house where Struensee met with a most friendly reception, was
that of the administrator of the county, Privy Councillor Baron von
Söhlenthal, who was the step-father of Enevold Brandt. Struensee was also
physician to the Landrost of the Lordship of Pinneberg, Privy Councillor
von Berkentin, whose wife, after the Drost's death, was appointed chief
gouvernante of the hereditary Prince Frederick. At this house Struensee
is stated often to have said, half in jest, half in earnest, "My ladies
and patronesses, only contrive to get me to Copenhagen, and I will make
matters all right." Struensee was also on very friendly terms with
Equerry and Chamberlain von Bülow; and lastly, he made at Altona the
acquaintance of the then Captain Falckenskjold, who was fated to suffer
so terribly for this acquaintance, and of Count Conrad von Holck, when
the King of Denmark came to the duchies in 1767.
This period was probably the happiest in Struensee's short life, but he
found no satisfaction in his professional position. His restless, soaring
mind suggested to him to resign his post, and take a voyage to Malaga or
the East Indies. As his health at this time was not the best, he hoped
a recovery in a milder climate. The exciting details he had read in
descriptions of travels in India, and the prospect of acquiring a fine
fortune there, the more urged him to the enterprise, as he had recently
run into debt at Altona. At this moment a very different prospect was
offered him.
When a physician in ordinary had to be appointed for Christian's
projected tour abroad, Struensee was recommended by his patrons, Counts
Rantzau-Ascheberg and Holck and Brandt, who had not yet fallen into
disgrace, to occupy this post; and Frau von Berkentin, whose life
Struensee had once saved in a dangerous illness, and Von Berger, the
physician in ordinary to the king, supported this choice. Struensee
himself saw in this a happy dispensation of fate, which opened to him an
extensive career. He accepted the offer, and was appointed surgeon during
the journey on April 5, 1768. On June 6, he joined the king's suite at
Ahrensburg, and had a seat in the carriage of Legations rath Sturtz, with
whom he eventually became very intimate.
During the entire tour Struensee, in consequence of his position, was
frequently near the king's person, and carefully watched over his health.
This often enabled him to work against the injurious influence of Count
Holck over the passionate prince, for which purpose he generally had
recourse to interesting conversation upon French literature. On the
other hand, Struensee carefully avoided political discussions, and if
ever such were brought up, he never made the slightest allusion to home
affairs. Struensee even carried this precaution so far, that he either
entirely broke off his correspondence with his Holstein friends, or else
restricted it to indifferent topics. For the courtiers soon noticed the
growing pleasure which the king found in conversing with his doctor, and
perceived that Struensee possessed acquirements which fitted him to take
part in other business. But Struensee still clung to his profession too
much to grant room to a thought of giving it up, and was too sharp not to
notice the suspicious glances which the king's _entourage_ cast at the
interesting doctor. Hence it was so little his object to overthrow Count
Holck, that he completely neglected an apparently favourable opportunity.
We have seen how Brandt was dismissed from court for his foolish letter
to the king, and ordered to retire to Oldenburg. As he had neither
salary nor pension, Bernstorff gave him a supernumerary post in the
regency of that province. Growing tired of his employment, Brandt went
off to Paris to have an interview with the king, and arrived just at the
moment when Holck had fallen into temporary disgrace. As Struensee did
not move in the matter, Brandt obtained no audience, and the favourite
procured him 100 louis d'or to carry him back again.[98]
Struensee merely contented himself with weakening the immense power Holck
exercised over Christian, by encouraging his feeble master to feel a
greater pride in himself. As, too, Struensee never took advantage of his
position to obtain gratifications for himself or his friends, he rose
the higher in the respect of all persons whose respect was worth having,
with whom he came in contact in foreign countries; and that the frivolous
young king not only took pleasure in Struensee's clever conversation, but
also granted him a certain degree of respect, he proved on every possible
opportunity.
On January 7, 1769, Struensee returned to Altona in the king's suite. As
he had only been appointed surgeon for the journey, he would have been
obliged to resume his professional avocations, but the king would have
missed him too much; and hence, on the united proposition of Bernstorff
and Schimmelmann, he was appointed actual surgeon in ordinary, with a
salary of 1000 dollars, while a gratification of 500 dollars was granted
him to pay his debts.[99]
On arriving in the capital, Struensee occupied himself for awhile with
his duties as surgeon. He employed the confidence he had acquired with
the king in drawing the young autocrat's attention to the state of his
health, arousing in him a liking for employment, and making him lead a
more regular course of life. He spoke with him openly and fearlessly
about everything that he considered right, although he frequently
discovered that he offended the king by doing so. Such moments of
displeasure were most marked, when he represented to Christian the
injurious results of immoderate sensuality--a freedom which deserves
the greater recognition, because Struensee at that time had no powerful
supporter at court, but stood quite alone. For Count Holck had grown
reserved toward him, and the only person who displayed any attachment
to him was the page Von Warnstedt, of which Struensee took advantage to
imbue this young man with principles which would be beneficial to the
king, should they happen to be repeated in his presence.
On May 12, 1769, Struensee was appointed actual state councillor, and
was thus privileged to take part in all the court festivities, to which
only the members of the first three classes had admission.[100] He had
apartments in the palace of Frederiksberg, when Christian VII. and
Caroline Matilda resided there, in the summer of 1769. This enabled him
to form acquaintance with all the personages of the court, and study
their character. When the king returned to Copenhagen, the first signs
of parties being formed began to be visible, and that attached to Holck
was the most important and numerous. The first men of the state and the
ministers belonged to it; for they apprehended nothing from the frivolous
favourite, who only cared for pomp and pleasure: they were only afraid of
the influence of the reigning queen, and foresaw that she might become
dangerous to them, if ever she gained the upper hand. Holck confirmed the
king in principles which must excessively displease his consort and keep
her away from him: hence these men, whose only care was for their own
prestige and authority, could desire nothing more than the permanence of
the favour which Holck enjoyed. The few partisans of the queen dowager
shared with her the gloom and tranquillity of her present state. A few
young persons, who fancied they saw in the attractions and good sense
of the reigning queen a power, which might with time acquire for her
many partisans, and even under other circumstances regain the king's
affection, seemed to take her part; but they possessed no fortune, rank,
nor the experience which is necessary in court intrigues. The young queen
also placed no confidence in such weak supporters, and had already formed
a plan by which she hoped to attain her object.
Caroline Matilda had something active and decided in her character
which could not always lie fallow. She was greatly humiliated by the
insignificant part she played at court, and felt that there was no other
way of re-acquiring the respect which belonged to her rank than by trying
to gain the king's confidence again. She was convinced that she would
never succeed in this so long as Holck remained in favour; and she could
not make up her mind to place confidence in any one of the ministers, as
she felt a dislike of them all, but especially of Bernstorff, whom she
feared. She, therefore, determined to foil all the offensive designs she
apprehended from the ministers, and overthrow the reigning favourite.
To effect this, she began by displaying a marked deference towards the
king, and striving to act in accordance with all his wishes. But she had
not yet found the instrument whom she needed to support her, till chance
threw Struensee in her way. Up to this time, the doctor had displayed
no marked attachment to any party: Moltke's partisans were striving to
gain him and Warnstedt over to their side; and as Struensee was a welcome
guest at the house of the chief marshal of the court, for which honour
he had frequently to pay, by losing heavy sums in the then fashionable
game of hazard, this coterie gained their object, or at least fancied
that they had succeeded.
Whether Struensee at this period of his career had an inkling of the
extraordinary part he would be called upon to play, it is now impossible
to say: it is evident, however, that he acted with the utmost caution in
feeling his way. He was gradually gaining ground in the king's favour;
but there is not the slightest evidence in support of the commonly
expressed opinion, that, with his first step in Denmark, he resolved to
become the _de facto_ ruler of that country.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 87: "Authentische Aufklärungen," pp. 25, 26.]
[Footnote 88: "Mémoires de mon Temps." pp. 8, 9.]
[Footnote 89: It was on one of these occasions that Reverdil, on some
courtiers bringing to the palace a morning star they had taken from a
watchman, and boasting loudly of their exploit, uttered the sarcastic
words, "Voilà un beau chemin à la gloire." This remark had something to
do with his dismissal.]
[Footnote 90: "Northern Courts," p. 82.]
[Footnote 91: In a life of Carl August von Struensee, by Held, I find
that the origin of the Struensee family was as follows:--One of his
ancestors, of quite a different name, was, during the time of the
Hanseatic League, a pilot of Lübeck. During a frightful storm, in which
no other man dared to venture out to sea, he brought a richly laden fleet
into port; acquired respect and credit in his native city for doing
so; and, in memory of his courageous deed, received from the Lübeck
magistracy the name of Strouvensee, which means a dark, stormy sea.]
[Footnote 92: In a tolerably impartial life of Struensee, published at
Copenhagen while he was under sentence of death, the following portrait
is drawn of him:--"He was a tall and very broad-shouldered fellow, almost
of the height for the Guards; was not ill-looking, had a rather long
nose, a merry look, playful and penetrating eyes, a free carriage, and
sat his horse very well. Liberty followed all his movements, and he was
as little affected in the presence of the king and among the courtiers,
as if he were a born gentleman and had been educated at court. In short,
through the qualities of his mind and person he might have been an
amiable courtier and excellent statesman, if his heart had only been
better."]
[Footnote 93: "Authentische Aufklärungen."]
[Footnote 94: "Besondere Nachrichten von den Opfern der Staaten," &c.
Pelim. 1772. This was a town in Siberia, to which Marshal Münnich was
banished; but I doubt whether it contained a printing press.]
[Footnote 95: "Besondere Nachrichten von den Opfern," &c.]
[Footnote 96: This name was probably derived from a conical mound,
apparently an ancient tumulus, in the centre of the gardens, on which
very fine ash trees grew.]
[Footnote 97: Reverdil, pp. 61, 62.]
[Footnote 98: Mr. N. W. Wraxall's Private Journal.]
[Footnote 99: Whenever the word dollar is used, its value must be taken
at three marcs courant, or about 3s. 6d. of our money.]
[Footnote 100: The rank-order (rang-ordnung) is divided into nine
classes in Denmark. To the first class belong the privy councillors
of conferences, generals and lieutenant-generals, admirals and
vice-admirals, and the Counts von Danneskjold Samsöe (by reason of
their birth); to the second class, the councillors of conference,
major-generals and rear-admirals; and to the third, actual councillors
of state, colonels and commanders. Only these classes had the right to
attend court up to the reign of Frederick VI.]