登陆注册
5393700000001

第1章

This Piece, it would seem, was translated sixteen years ago;some four or five years before any part of the present HISTORY OFFRIEDRICH got to paper. The intercalated bits of Commentary were, as is evident, all or mostly written at the same time:--these also, though they are now become, in parts, SUPERFLUOUS to a reader that has been diligent, I have not thought of changing, where not compelled. Here and there, especially in the Introductory Part, some slight additions have crept in;--which the above kind of reader will possibly enough detect; and may even have, for friendly reasons, some vestige of interest in assigning to their new date and comparing with the old. (NOTE OF 1868.)A DAY WITH FRIEDRICH.

(23d July, 1779.)

"OBERAMTMANN (Head-Manager) Fromme" was a sister's son of Poet, Gleim,--Gleim Canon of Halberstadt, who wrote Prussian "grenadier-songs" in, or in reference to, the Seven-Years War, songs still printed, but worth little; who begged once, after Friedrich's death, an OLD HAT of his, and took it with him to Halberstadt (where I hope it still is); who had a "Temple-of-Honor," or little Garden-house so named, with Portraits of his Friends hung in it;who put Jean Paul VERY SOON there, with a great explosion of praises; and who, in short, seems to have been a very good effervescent creature, at last rather wealthy too, and able to effervesce with some comfort;--Oberamtmann Fromme, I say, was this Gleim's Nephew; and stood as a kind of Royal Land-Bailiff under Frederick the Great, in a tract of country called the RHYN-LUCH (a dreadfully moory country of sands and quagmires, all green and fertile now, some twenty or thirty miles northwest of Berlin);busy there in 1779, and had been for some years past. He had originally been an Officer of the Artillery; but obtained his discharge in 1769, and got, before long, into this employment.

A man of excellent disposition and temper; with a solid and heavy stroke of work in him, whatever he might be set to; and who in this OBERAMTMANNSHIP "became highly esteemed." He died in 1798; and has left sons (now perhaps grandsons or great-grandsons), who continue estimable in like situations under the Prussian Government.

One of Fromme's useful gifts, the usefulest of all for us at present, was "his wonderful talent of exact memory." He could remember to a singular extent; and, we will hope, on this occasion, was unusually conscientious to do it. For it so happened, in July, 1779 (23d July), Friedrich, just home from his troublesome Bavarian War, [Had arrived at Berlin May 27th (Rodenbeck, iii. 201).] and again looking into everything with his own eyes, determined to have a personal view of those Moor Regions of Fromme's; to take a day's driving through that RHYN-LUCH which had cost him so much effort and outlay; and he ordered Fromme to attend him in the expedition.

Which took effect accordingly; Fromme riding swiftly at the left wheel of Friedrich's carriage, and loudly answering questions of his, all day.--Directly on getting home, Fromme consulted his excellent memory, and wrote down everything; a considerable Paper, --of which you shall now have an exact Translation, if it be worth anything. Fromme gave the Paper to Uncle Gleim; who, in his enthusiasm, showed it extensively about, and so soon as there was liberty, had it "printed, at his own expense, for the benefit of poor soldiers' children." ["Gleim's edition, brought out in 1786, the year of Friedrich's death, is now quite gone,--the Book undiscoverable. But the Paper was reprinted in an ANEKDOTEN-SAMMLUNG (Collection of Anecdotes, Berlin, 1787, 8tes STUCK, where I discover it yesterday (17th July, 1852) in a copy of mine, much to my surprise; having before met with it in one Hildebrandt's ANEKDOTEN-SAMMLUNG (Halberstadt, 1830, 4tes STUCK, a rather slovenly Book), where it is given out as one of the rarest of all rarities, and as having been specially 'furnished by a Dr. W.

Korte,' being unattainable otherwise! The two copies differ slightly here and there,--not always to Dr. Korte's advantage, or rather hardly ever. I keep them both before me in translating"(MARGINALE OF 1852).

"The RHYN" or Rhin, is a little river, which, near its higher clearer sources, we were all once well acquainted with:

considerable little moorland river, with several branches coming down from Ruppin Country, and certain lakes and plashes there, in a southwest direction, towards the Elbe valley, towards the Havel Stream; into which latter, through another plash or lake called GULPER SEE, and a few miles farther, into the Elbe itself, it conveys, after a course of say 50 English miles circuitously southwest, the black drainings of those dreary and intricate Peatbog-and-Sand countries. "LUCH," it appears, signifies LOCH (or Hole, Hollow); and "Rhyn-Luch" will mean, to Prussian ears, the Peatbog Quagmire drained by the RHYN.--New Ruppin, where this beautiful black Stream first becomes considerable, and of steadily black complexion, lies between 40 and 50 miles northwest of Berlin.

Ten or twelve miles farther north is REINSBERG (properly RHYNSBERG), where Friedrich as Crown-Prince lived his happiest few years. The details of which were familiar to us long ago,--and no doubt dwell clear and soft, in their appropriate "pale moonlight,"in Friedrich's memory on this occasion. Some time after his Accession, he gave the place to Prince Henri, who lived there till 1802. It is now fallen all dim; and there is nothing at New Ruppin but a remembrance.

同类推荐
  • 阿毗昙心论

    阿毗昙心论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 众妙集

    众妙集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 别传心法议

    别传心法议

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 古穰杂录摘抄

    古穰杂录摘抄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 壬辰四友二老诗赞

    壬辰四友二老诗赞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 黑猫公馆:灵异事件簿

    黑猫公馆:灵异事件簿

    【新书《神婆鲜妻:总裁你有桃花劫》已发布,求支持】身为专业不过关,技术不达标的末等天师,阎小艾不以为耻,反以为荣,提倡科学抓鬼,科技为上,却偏偏有个古板黑猫老板,非逼着她考证,考证,考证!拜托上学已经很累了,抓鬼还要持证上岗,伤不起啊!黑猫大大打铁还需自身硬,没本事怎么去抓鬼?阎小艾虽然我专业不达标,但我还是一个爱岗敬业的抓鬼小妹,BOSS求不扣工资!
  • 迟夫人有点甜

    迟夫人有点甜

    今日份新闻头条:“灏景集团总裁迟韭高调对爱妻示爱。”众所周知,迟韭宠妻手段层出不穷,每天都能在头条上吃一把狗粮,殊不知这光鲜亮丽的背后是个怎么样的吃醋过程。“迟总,夫人刚刚和慕先生吃了午饭。”特助忠诚地向上司报告情况。“叫厨师做一车好菜送过去给夫人。”“迟总,夫人刚刚和慕先生说想看烟花。”“那就放,她想要盛世烟花,我给。”“迟总,夫人说……”“说什么了。”“夫人说,她想要个孩子。”某迟立马收拾好包袱马不停蹄地回家,“告诉她,别后悔。”
  • 微雨中的蝉声

    微雨中的蝉声

    夏日去川南玉屏山森林公园小住,令人感到新奇的是:满山蝉鸣,此起彼伏,自晨至夕,不绝于耳。究其原因,方知遍山所植之树,名日“柳杉”;此类树的特别之处,一是颇利于蝉的繁衍与栖息,二是它的气味能驱蚊灭蚊,所以山中整日蝉声不绝,而蚊蚋则不见踪迹。
  • 孙毅庵奏议

    孙毅庵奏议

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 二货系统之闪耀天后

    二货系统之闪耀天后

    架空时代,宠文,一对一她没有喝孟婆汤带着前世的记忆直接投胎到了陌生的世界,开启了被亲情、友情、爱情宠溺的人生。情节一她的毒舌“大哥,天还没黑呢!我呢只会骂人,但是不会骂你的,你放心吧。再见,哦,是再也不见,记得出门的时候带上避雷针啊,这年头不光婊爱追渣,雷也爱追渣。还有,祝你不孕不育,子孙满堂。”情节二戏精的系统“宿主大大,你刚才有没有听见人说话?话说刚才一阵风刮过,贼大,有点耳鸣,感觉像是有人说话来着,其实什么都没有,真的,请看我真诚的眼睛!”
  • The Golden Asse

    The Golden Asse

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 我为君狂:绝色魔妃战天下

    我为君狂:绝色魔妃战天下

    人背吃个饭都能呛死,更背的还是黄花闺女穿越成了一个大肚婆。妖孽魔王君主众她腹中降临于世不说,还狗血的落下了心脏在她的身子里。妖孽君王翻手为云,覆手为雨,因为遗留在她身体里的心脏便欺她身,占她人。这魔王究竟是她儿还是她夫?
  • 电视摄像艺术

    电视摄像艺术

    本书对电视摄像艺术进行了全面的阐述,系统而概括地论述了电视摄像从入门到提高再到电视艺术创作需要掌握的技巧和方法。
  • 新五代史

    新五代史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 封少独宠九姑娘

    封少独宠九姑娘

    族人尊称她九姑娘,她生于大山,长于大山。当她出山时,你以为她是山里什么都不懂的丫头……他出生顶级世家,做为商场幕后boss赚起钱来也是毫不手软。那是因为他12岁时遇见了5岁的九姑娘,那时的他就决定可以开始存老婆本了……