In his seventh year, young Friedrich was taken out of the hands of the
women; and had Tutors and Sub-Tutors of masculine gender, who had
been nominated for him some time ago, actually set to work upon their
function. These we have already heard of; they came from Stralsund
Siege, all the principal hands.
Duhan de Jandun, the young French gentleman who had escaped from
grammar-lessons to the trenches, he is the practical teacher.
Lieutenant-General Graf Fink von Finkenstein and Lieutenant-Colonel von
Kalkstein, they are Head Tutor (OBERHOFMEISTER) and Sub-Tutor; military
men both, who had been in many wars besides Stralsund. By these three he
was assiduously educated, subordinate schoolmasters working under them
when needful, in such branches as the paternal judgment would admit;
the paternal object and theirs being to infuse useful knowledge,
reject useless, and wind up the whole into a military finish. These
appointments, made at different precise dates, took effect, all of them,
in the year 1719.
Duhan, independently of his experience in the trenches, appears to have
been an accomplished, ingenious and conscientious man; who did credit
to Friedrich Wilhelm's judgment; and to whom Friedrich professed himself
much indebted in after life. Their progress in some of the technical
branches, as we shall perceive, was indisputably unsatisfactory. But the
mind of the Boy seems to have been opened by this Duhan, to a lively,
and in some sort genial, perception of things round him;--of the strange
confusedly opulent Universe he had got into; and of the noble and
supreme function which Intelligence holds there; supreme in Art as in
Nature, beyond all other functions whatsoever. Duhan was now turned of
thirty: a cheerful amiable Frenchman; poor, though of good birth and
acquirements; originally from Champagne. Friedrich loved him very much;
always considered him his spiritual father; and to the end of Duhan's
life, twenty years hence, was eager to do him any good in his power.
Anxious always to repair, for poor Duhan, the great sorrows he came to
on his account, as we shall see.
Of Graf Fink von Finkenstein, who has had military experiences of all
kinds and all degrees, from marching as prisoner into France, "wounded
and without his hat," to fighting at Malplaquet, at Blenheim, even at
Steenkirk, as well as Stralsund; who is now in his sixtieth year, and
seems to have been a gentleman of rather high solemn manners, and indeed
of undeniable perfections,--of this supreme Count Fink we learn almost
nothing farther in the Books, except that his little Pupil did not
dislike him either. The little Pupil took not unkindly to Fink;
welcoming any benignant human ray, across these lofty gravities of the
OBERHOFMEISTER; went often to his house in Berlin; and made acquaintance
with two young Finks about his own age, whom he found there, and who
became important to him, especially the younger of them, in the
course of the future. [Zedlitz-Neukirch, _Preussisches Adels-Lexikon _
(Leipzig, 1836), ii. 168. _Militair-Lexicon, _ i. 420.] This Pupil, it
may be said, is creditably known for his attachment to his Teachers and
others; an attached and attaching little Boy. Of Kalkstein, a rational,
experienced and earnest kind of man, though as yet but young, it is
certain also that the little Fritz loved him; and furthermore that
the Great Friedrich was grateful to him, and had a high esteem of his
integrity and sense. "My master, Kalkstein," used to be his designation
of him, when the name chanced to be mentioned in after times. They
continued together, with various passages of mutual history, for forty
years afterwards, till Kalkstein's death. Kalkstein is at present
twenty-eight, the youngest of the three Tutors; then, and ever after,
an altogether downright correct soldier and man. He is of Preussen, or
Prussia Proper, this Kalkstein;--of the same kindred as that mutinous
Kalkstein, whom we once heard of, who was "rolled in a carpet," and
kidnapped out of Warsaw, in the Great Elector's time. Not a direct
descendant of that beheaded Kalkstein's but, as it were, his NEPHEW so
many times removed. Preussen is now far enough from mutiny; subdued,
with all its Kalksteins, into a respectful silence, not lightly using
the right even of petition, or submissive remonstrance, which it may
still have. Nor, except on the score of parliamentary eloquence and
newspaper copyright, does it appear that Preussen has suffered by the
change.
How these Fink-Kalkstein functionaries proceeded in the great task
they had got,--very great task, had they known what Pupil had fallen
to them,--is not directly recorded for us, with any sequence or
distinctness. We infer only that everything went by inflexible routine;
not asking at all, WHAT pupil?--nor much, Whether it would suit any
pupil? Duhan, with the tendencies we have seen in him, who is willing to
soften the inflexible when possible, and to "guide Nature" by a rather
loose rein, was probably a genial element in the otherwise strict
affair. Fritz had one unspeakable advantage, rare among princes and even
among peasants in these ruined ages: that of NOT being taught, or
in general not, by the kind called "Hypocrites, and even
Sincere-Hypocrites,"--fatalest species of the class HYPOCRITE. We
perceive he was lessoned, all along, not by enchanted Phantasms of that
dangerous sort, breathing mendacity of mind, unconsciously, out of every
look; but by real Men, who believed from the heart outwards, and were
daily doing what they taught. To which unspeakable advantage we add a
second, likewise considerable; That his masters, though rigorous, were
not unlovable to him;--that his affections, at least, were kept alive;
that whatever of seed (or of chaff and hail, as was likelier) fell
on his mind, had SUNSHINE to help in dealing with it. These are two
advantages still achievable, though with difficulty, in our epoch, by
an earnest father in behalf of his poor little son. And these are, at
present, nearly all; with these well achieved, the earnest father and
his son ought to be thankful. Alas, in matter of education, there are
no high-roads at present; or there are such only as do NOT lead to the
goal. Fritz, like the rest of us, had to struggle his way, Nature and
Didactic Art differing very much from one another; and to do battle,
incessant partial battle, with his schoolmasters for any education he
had.
A very rough Document, giving Friedrich Wilhelm's regulations on this
subject, from his own hand, has come down to us. Most dull, embroiled,
heavy Document; intricate, gnarled, and, in fine, rough and stiff
as natural bull-headedness helped by Prussian pipe-clay can make
it;--contains some excellent hints, too; and will show us something of
Fritzchen and of Friedrich Wilhelm both at once. That is to say, always,
if it can be read! If by aid of abridging, elucidating and arranging,
we can get the reader engaged to peruse it patiently;--which seems
doubtful. The points insisted on, in a ponderous but straggling confused
manner, by his didactic Majesty, are chiefly these:--
1. Must impress my Son with a proper love and fear of God, as
the foundation and sole pillar of our temporal and eternal welfare.
No false religions, or sects of Atheist, Arian (ArRian), Socinian, or
whatever name the poisonous things have, which can so easily corrupt a
young mind, are to be even named in his hearing: on the other hand,
a proper abhorrence (ABSCHEU) of Papistry, and insight into its
baselessness and nonsensicality (UNGRUND UND ABSURDITAT), is to be
communicated to him:--Papistry, which is false enough, like the others,
but impossible to be ignored like them; mention that, and give him due
abhorrence for it. For we are Protestant to the bone in this country;
and cannot stand ABSURDITAT, least of all hypocritically religious
ditto! But the grand thing will be, "To impress on him the true
religion, which consists essentially in this, That Christ died for
all men," and generally that the Almighty's justice is eternal and
omnipresent,--"which consideration is the only means of keeping a
sovereign person (SOUVERAINE MACHT), or one freed from human penalties,
in the right way."
2. "He is to learn no Latin;" observe that, however it may
surprise you. What has a living German man and King, of the eighteenth
Christian SOECULUM, to do with dead old Heathen Latins, Romans, and the
lingo THEY spoke their fraction of sense and nonsense in? Frightful, how
the young years of the European Generations have been wasted, for ten
centuries back; and the Thinkers of the world have become mere walking
Sacks of Marine-stores, "GELEHRTEN, Learned," as they call themselves;
and gone LOST to the world, in that manner, as a set of confiscated
Pedants;--babbling about said Heathens, and THEIR extinct lingo and
fraction of sense and nonsense, for the thousand years last past!
Heathen Latins, Romans;--who perhaps were no great things of Heathen,
after all, if well seen into? I have heard judges say, they were
INferior, in real worth and grist, to German home-growths we have had,
if the confiscated Pedants could have discerned it! At any rate,
they are dead, buried deep, these two thousand years; well out of
our way;--and nonsense enough of our own left, to keep sweeping into
corners. Silence about their lingo and them, to this new Crown-Prince!
"Let the Prince learn French and German," so as to write and speak,
"with brevity and propriety," in these two languages, which may be
useful to him in life. That will suffice for languages,--provided he
have anything effectually rational to say in them. For the rest,
3. "Let him learn Arithmetic, Mathematics, Artillery,--Economy to the
very bottom." And, in short, useful knowledge generally; useless ditto
not at all. "History in particular;--Ancient History only slightly (NUR
UBERHIN);--but the History of the last hundred and fifty Years to the
exactest pitch. The JUS NATURALE and JUS GENTIUM," by way of hand-lamp
to History, "he must be completely master of; as also of Geography,
whatever is remarkable in each Country. And in Histories, most
especially the History of the house of Brandenburg; where he will find
domestic examples, which are always of more force than foreign. And
along with Prussian History, chiefly that of the Countries which have
been connected with it, as England, Brunswick, Hessen and the others.
And in reading of wise History-books there must be considerations made
(_sollen beym Lesen kluger Historiarum Betrachtungen gemacht werden_)
upon the causes of the events."--Surely, O King!
4. "With increasing years, you will more and more, to a most
especial degree, go upon Fortification,"--mark you!--"the Formation of
a Camp, and the other War-Sciences; that the Prince may, from youth
upwards, be trained to act as Officer and General, and to seek all his
glory in the soldier profession." This is whither it must all tend. You,
Finkenstein and Kalkstein, "have both of you, in the highest measure, to
make it your care to infuse into my Son [EINZUPRAGEN, stamp into him] a
true love for the Soldier business, and to impress on him that, as there
is nothing in the world which can bring a Prince renown and honor like
the sword, so he would be a despised creature before all men, if he
did not love it, and seek his sole glory (DIE EINZIGE GLORIA) therein."
[Preuss, i. 11-14 (of date 13th August, 1718).] Which is an extreme
statement of the case; showing how much we have it at heart.
These are the chief Friedrich-Wilhelm traits; the rest of the document
corresponds in general to what the late Majesty had written for
Friedrich Wilhelm himself on the like occasion. [Stenzel, iii. 572.]
Ruthless contempt of Useless Knowledge; and passionate insight into the
distinction between Useful and Useless, especially into the worth of
Soldiering as a royal accomplishment, are the chief peculiarities here.
In which latter point too Friedrich Wilhelm, himself the most pacific of
men, unless you pulled the whiskers of him, or broke into his goods and
chattels, knew very well what he was meaning,--much better than we of
the "Peace Society" and "Philanthropic Movement" could imagine at first
sight! It is a thing he, for his part, is very decided upon.
Already, a year before this time, [1st September, 1717: Preuss, i.
13.] there had been instituted, for express behoof of little Fritz, a
miniature Soldier Company, above a hundred strong; which grew afterwards
to be near three hundred, and indeed rose to be a permanent Institution
by degrees; called _Kompagnie der Kronprinzlichen Kadetten_ (Company of
Crown-Prince Cadets). A hundred and ten boys about his own age, sons of
noble families, had been selected from the three Military Schools then
extant, as a kind of tiny regiment for him; where, if he was by no means
commander all at once, he might learn his exercise in fellowship with
others. Czar Peter, it is likely, took a glance of this tiny regiment
just getting into rank and file there; which would remind the Czar of
his own young days. An experienced Lieutenant-Colonel was appointed to
command in chief. A certain handy and correct young fellow, Rentsel by
name, about seventeen, who already knew his fugling to a hair's-breadth,
was Drill-master; and exercised them all, Fritz especially, with due
strictness; till, in the course of time and of attainments, Fritz could
himself take the head charge. Which he did duly, in a year or two: a
little soldier thenceforth; properly strict, though of small dimensions;
in tight blue bit of coat and cocked-hat:--miniature image of Papa
(it is fondly hoped and expected), resembling him as a sixpence does
a half-crown. In 1721 the assiduous Papa set up a "little arsenal" for
him, "in the Orange Hall of the Palace:" there let him, with perhaps
a chosen comrade or two, mount batteries, fire exceedingly small brass
ordnance,--his Engineer-Teacher, one Major von Senning, limping about
(on cork leg), and superintending if needful.
Rentzel, it is known, proved an excellent Drill-sergeant;--had good
talents every way, and was a man of probity and sense. He played
beautifully on the flute too, and had a cheerful conversible turn;
which naturally recommended him still farther to Fritz; and awoke or
encouraged, among other faculties, the musical faculty in the little
Boy. Rentzel continued about him, or in sight of him, through life;
advancing gradually, not too fast, according to real merit and service
(Colonel in 1759); and never did discredit to the choice Friedrich
Wilhelm had made of him. Of Senning, too, Engineer-Major von Senning,
who gave Fritz his lessons in Mathematics, Fortification and the kindred
branches, the like, or better, can be said. He was of graver years;
had lost a leg in the Marlborough Campaigns, poor gentleman; but had
abundant sense, native worth and cheery rational talk, in him: so that
he too could never be parted with by Friedrich, but was kept on hand to
the last, a permanent and variously serviceable acquisition.
Thus, at least, is the military education of our Crown-Prince cared for.
And we are to fancy the little fellow, from his tenth year or earlier,
going about in miniature soldier figure, for most part; in strict
Spartan-Brandenburg costume, of body as of mind. Costume little
flattering to his own private taste for finery; yet by no means
unwholesome to him, as he came afterwards to know, In October, 1723, it
is on record, when George I. came to visit his Son-in-law and Daughter
at Berlin, his Britannic Majesty, looking out from his new quarters on
the morrow, saw Fritzchen "drilling his Cadet Company;" a very pretty
little phenomenon. Drilling with clear voice, military sharpness, and
the precision of clock-work on the Esplanade (LUSTGARTEN) there;--and
doubtless the Britannic Majesty gave some grunt of acquiescence, perhaps
even a smile, rare on that square heavy-laden countenance of his. That
is the record: [Forster, i. 215.] and truly it forms for us by far
the liveliest little picture we have got, from those dull old years
of European History. Years already sunk, or sinking, into lonesome
unpeopled Dusk for all men; and fast verging towards vacant Oblivion and
eternal Night;--which (if some few articles were once saved out of them)
is their just and inevitable portion from afflicted human nature.
Of riding-masters, fencing-masters, swimming-masters; much less of
dancing-masters, music-masters (celebrated Graun, "on the organ," with
Psalm-tunes), we cannot speak; but the reader may be satisfied they were
all there, good of their kind, and pushing on at a fair rate. Nor is
there lack anywhere of paternal supervision to our young Apprentice,
From an early age, Papa took the Crown-Prince with him on his annual
Reviews. From utmost Memel on the Russian border, down to Wesel on the
French, all Prussia, in every nook of it, garrison, marching-regiment,
board of management, is rigorously reviewed by Majesty once a year.
There travels little military Fritz, beside the military Majesty, amid
the generals and official persons, in their hardy Spartan manner; and
learns to look into everything like a Rhadamanthine Argus, and how the
eye of the master, more than all other appliances, fattens the cattle.
On his hunts, too, Papa took him. For Papa was a famous hunter, when at
Wusterhausen in the season:--hot Beagle-chase, hot Stag-hunt, your chief
game deer; huge "Force-Hunt" (PARFORCE-JAGD, the woods all beaten,
and your wild beasts driven into straits and caudine-forks for you);
Boar-hunting (SAUHETZE, "sow-baiting," as the Germans call it),
Partridge-shooting, Fox- and Wolf-hunting;--on all grand expeditions of
such sort, little Fritz shall ride with Papa and party. Rough furious
riding; now on swift steed, now at places on WURSTWAGEN,--WURSTWAGEN,
"Sausage-Car" so called, most Spartan of vehicles, a mere STUFFED POLE
or "sausage" with wheels to it, on which you sit astride, a dozen or so
of you, and career;--regardless of the summer heat and sandy dust,
of the winter's frost-storms and muddy rain. All this the little
Crown-Prince is bound to do;--but likes it less and less, some of us are
sorry to observe! In fact he could not take to hunting at all, or find
the least of permanent satisfaction in shooting partridges and baiting
sows,--"with such an expenditure of industry and such damage to the
seedfields," he would sometimes allege in extenuation. In later years
he has been known to retire into some glade of the thickets, and hold a
little Flute-Hautbois Concert with his musical comrades, while the sows
were getting baited. Or he would converse with Mamma and her Ladies, if
her Majesty chanced to be there, in a day for open driving. Which things
by no means increased his favor with Papa, a sworn hater of "effeminate
practices."
He was "nourished on beer-soup," as we said before. Frugality, activity,
exactitude were lessons daily and hourly brought home to him, in
everything he did and saw. His very sleep was stingily meted out to
him: "Too much sleep stupefies a fellow!" Friedrich Wilhelm was wont
to say;--so that the very doctors had to interfere, in this matter, for
little Fritz. Frugal enough, hardy enough; urged in every way to look
with indifference on hardship, and take a Spartan view of life.
Money-allowance completely his own, he does not seem to have had till
he was seventeen. Exiguous pocket-money, counted in GROSCHEN (English
PENCE, or hardly more), only his Kalkstein and Finkenstein could grant
as they saw good;--about eighteenpence in the month, to start with, as
would appear. The other small incidental moneys, necessary for his use,
were likewise all laid out under sanction of his Tutors, and accurately
entered in Day-books by them, audited by Friedrich Wilhelm; of which
some specimens remain, and one whole month, September, 1719 (the Boy's
eighth year), has been published. Very singular to contemplate, in these
days of gold-nuggets and irrational man-mountains fattened by mankind at
such a price! The monthly amount appears to have been some 3 pounds
10 shillings:--and has gone, all but the eighteenpence of sovereign
pocket-money, for small furnishings and very minute necessary
luxuries;--as thus:--
"To putting his Highness's shoes on the last;" for stretching
them to the little feet,--and only one "last," as we perceive. "To
twelve yards of Hairtape,"--HAARBAND, for our little queue, which
becomes visible here. "For drink-money to the Postilions." "For the
Housemaids at Wusterhausen," Don't I pay them myself? objects the
auditing Papa, at that latter kind of items: No more of that. "For
mending the flute, four GROSCHEN [or pence];" "Two Boxes of Colors,
sixteen ditto;" "For a live snipe, twopence;" "For grinding the hanger
[little swordkin];" "To a Boy whom the dog bit;" and chiefly of all,
"To the KLINGBEUTEL,"--Collection-plate, or bag, at Church,--which comes
upon us once, nay twice, and even thrice a week, eighteenpence each
time, and eats deep into our straitened means. [Preuss, i. 17.]
On such terms can a little Fritz be nourished into a Friedrich
the Great; while irrational man-mountains, of the beaverish or
beaverish-vulpine sort, take such a price to fatten them into
monstrosity! The Art-manufacture of your Friedrich can come very cheap,
it would appear, if once Nature have done her part in regard to him, and
there be mere honest will on the part of the by-standers. Thus Samuel
Johnson, too, cost next to nothing in the way of board and entertainment
in this world. And a Robert Burns, remarkable modern Thor, a Peasant-god
of these sunk ages, with a touch of melodious RUNES in him (since all
else lay under ban for the poor fellow), was raised on frugal oatmeal,
at an expense of perhaps half a crown a week. Nuggets and ducats are
divine; but they are not the most divine. I often wish the Devil had the
lion's share of them,--at once, and not circuitously as now. It would be
an unspeakable advantage to the bewildered sons of Adam, in this epoch!
But with regard to our little Crown-Prince's intellectual culture,
there is another Document, specially from Papa's hand, which, if we can
redact, adjust and abridge it, as in the former case, may be worth
the reader's notice, and elucidate some things for him. It is of date,
Wusterhausen, 3d September, 1721; little Fritz now in his tenth
year, and out there, with his Duhans and Finkensteins, while Papa is
rusticating for a few weeks. The essential title is, or might be:--
_To Head-Governor van Finkenstein, Sub-Governor von Kalkstein,
Preceptor Jacques Egide Duhan de Jandun, and others whom it may concern:
Regulations for schooling, at Wusterhausen, 3d September, 1721;_
[Preuss, i. 19.]--in greatly abridged form.
SUNDAY. "On Sunday he is to rise at 7; and as soon as he has got his
slippers on, shall kneel down at his bedside, and pray to God, so as
all in the room may hear it [that there be no deception or short measure
palmed upon us], in these words: 'Lord God, blessed Father, I thank thee
from my heart that thou hast so graciously preserved me through this
night. Fit me for what thy holy will is; and grant that I do nothing
this day, nor all the days of my life, which can divide me from thee.
For the Lord Jesus my Redeemer's sake. Amen.' After which the Lord's
Prayer. Then rapidly and vigorously (GESCHWINDE UND HURTIG) wash himself
clean, dress and powder and comb himself [we forget to say, that while
they are combing and queuing him, he breakfasts, with brevity, on tea]:
Prayer, with washing, breakfast and the rest, to be done pointedly
within fifteen minutes [that is, at a quarter past 7].
"This finished, all his Domestics and Duhan shall come in, and do family
worship (_das grosse Gebet zu halten_): Prayer on their knees, Duhan
withal to read a Chapter of the Bible, and sing some proper Psalm or
Hymn [as practised in well-regulated families]:--It will then be a
quarter to 8. All the Domestics then withdraw again; and Duhan now reads
with my Son the Gospel of the Sunday; expounds it a little, adducing
the main points of Christianity;--questioning from Noltenius's Catechism
[which Fritz knows by heart]:--it will then be 9 o'clock.
"At 9 he brings my Son down to me; who goes to Church, and dines, along
with me [dinner at the stroke of Noon]: the rest of the day is then his
own [Fritz's and Duhan's]. At half-past 9 in the evening, he shall come
and bid me goodnight. Shall then directly go to his room; very rapidly
(SEHR GESCHWIND) get off his clothes, wash his hands [get into some
tiny dressing-gown or CASSAQUIN, no doubt]; and so soon as that is done,
Duhan makes a prayer on his knees, and sings a hymn; all the Servants
being again there. Instantly after which, my Son shall get into bed;
shall be in bed at half-past 10;"--and fall asleep how soon, your
Majesty? This is very strict work.
MONDAY. "On Monday, as on all weekdays, he is to be called at 6; and so
soon as called he is to rise; you are to stand to him (ANHALTEN) that
he do not loiter or turn in bed, but briskly and at once get up; and
say his prayers, the same as on Sunday morning. This done, he shall as
rapidly as possible get on his shoes and spatterdashes; also wash his
face and hands, but not with soap. Farther shall put on his CASSAQUIN
[short dressing-gown], have his hair combed out and queued, but not
powdered. While getting combed and queued, he shall at the same time
take breakfast of tea, so that both jobs go on at once; and all this
shall be ended before half-past 6." Then enter Duhan and the Domestics,
with worship, Bible, Hymn, all as on Sunday; this is done by 7, and the
Servants go again.
"From 7 till 9 Duhan takes him on History; at 9 comes Noltenius [a
sublime Clerical Gentleman from Berlin] with the Christian Religion,
till a quarter to 11. Then Fritz rapidly (GESCHWIND) washes his face
with water, hands with soap-and-water; clean shirt; powders, and puts
on his coat;--about 11 comes to the King. Stays with the King till
2,"--perhaps promenading a little; dining always at Noon; after which
Majesty is apt to be slumberous, and light amusements are over.
"Directly at 2, he goes back to his room. Duhan is there, ready;
takes him upon the Maps and Geography, from 2 to 3,--giving account
[gradually!] of all the European Kingdoms; their strength and weakness;
size, riches and poverty of their towns. From 3 to 4, Duhan treats of
Morality (_soll die Moral tractiren _). From 4 to 5, Duhan shall write
German Letters with him, and see that he gets a good STYLUM [which he
never in the least did]. About 5, Fritz shall wash his hands, and go to
the King;--ride out; divert himself, in the air and not in his room; and
do what he likes, if it is not against God."
There, then, is a Sunday, and there is one Weekday; which latter may
serve for all the other five:--though they are strictly specified in
the royal monograph, and every hour of them marked out: How, and at what
points of time, besides this of HISTORY, of MORALITY, and WRITING
IN GERMAN, of Maps and GEOGRAPHY with the strength and weakness of
Kingdoms, you are to take up ARITHMETIC more than once; WRITING OF
FRENCH LETTERS, so as to acquire a good STYLUM: in what nook you
may intercalate "a little getting by heart of something, in order to
strengthen the memory;" how instead of Noltenius, Panzendorf (another
sublime Reverend Gentleman from Berlin, who comes out express) gives
the clerical drill on Tuesday morning;--with which two onslaughts, of
an hour-and-half each, the Clerical Gentlemen seem to withdraw for the
week, and we hear no more of them till Monday and Tuesday come round
again.
On Wednesday we are happy to observe a liberal slice of holiday come in.
At half-past 9, having done his HISTORY, and "got something by heart
to strengthen the memory [very little, it is to be feared], Fritz shall
rapidly dress himself, and come to the King. And the rest of the day
belongs to little Fritz (_gehort vor Fritzchen_)." On Saturday, too,
there is some fair chance of half-holiday:--
"SATURDAY, forenoon till half-past 10, come History, Writing and
Ciphering; especially repetition of what was done through the week,
and in MORALITY as well [adds the rapid Majesty], to see whether he has
profited. And General Graf von Finkenstein, with Colonel von Kalkstein,
shall be present during this. If Fritz has profited, the afternoon shall
be his own. If he has not profited, he shall, from 2 to 6, repeat
and learn rightly what he has forgotten on the past days." And so the
laboring week winds itself up. Here, however, is one general rule which
cannot be too much impressed upon YOU, with which we conclude:--
"In undressing and dressing, you must accustom him to get out of, and
into, his clothes as fast as is humanly possible (_ hurtig so viel als
menschenmoglich ist_). You will also look that he learn to put on and
put off his clothes himself, without help from others; and that he be
clean and neat, and not so dirty (_nicht so schmutzig_)." "Not so
dirty," that is my last word; and here is my sign-manual,
"FRIEDRICH WILHELM." [Preuss, i. 21.]