History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05 By: Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)
First Page: HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II OF PRUSSIA FREDERICK THE GREAT By Thomas Carlyle BOOK V. DOUBLE MARRIAGE PROJECT, AND WHAT ELEMENT IT FELL INTO. 1723 1726. Chapter I. DOUBLE MARRIAGE IS DECIDED ON. We saw George I. at Berlin in October, 1723, looking out upon his little Grandson drilling the Cadets there; but we did not mention what important errand had brought his Majesty thither. Visits between Hanover and Berlin had been frequent for a long time back; the young Queen of Prussia, sometimes with her husband, sometimes without, running often over to see her Father; who, even after his accession to the English crown, was generally for some months every year to be met with in those favorite regions of his. He himself did not much visit, being of taciturn splenetic nature: but this once he had agreed to return a visit they had lately made him, where a certain weighty Business had been agreed upon, withal; which his Britannic Majesty was to consummate formally, by treaty, when the meeting in Berlin took effect. His Britannic Majesty, accordingly, is come; the business in hand is no other than that thrice famous "Double Marriage" of Prussia with England; which once had such a sound in the ear of Rumor, and still bulks so big in the archives of the Eighteenth Century; which worked such woe to all parties concerned in it; and is, in fact, a first rate nuisance in the History of that poor Century, as written hitherto. Nuisance demanding urgently to be abated; were that well possible at present. Which, alas, it is not, to any great degree; there being an important young Friedrich inextricably wrapt up in it, to whom it was of such vital or almost fatal importance! Without a Friedrich, the affair could be reduced to something like its real size, and recorded in a few pages; or might even, with advantage, be forgotten altogether, and become zero. More gigantic instance of much ado about nothing has seldom occurred in human annals; had not there been a Friedrich in the heart of it. Crown Prince Friedrich is still very young for marriage speculations on his score: but Mamma has thought good to take matters in time. And so we shall, in the next ensuing parts of this poor History, have to hear almost as much about Marriage as in the foolishest Three volume Novel, and almost to still less purpose. For indeed, in that particular, Friedrich's young Life may be called a ROMANCE FLUNG HELLS OVER HEAD; Marriage being the one event there, round which all events turn, but turn in the inverse or reverse way (as if the Devil were in them); not only towards no happy goal for him or Mamma, or us, but at last towards hardly any goal at all for anybody! So mad did the affair grow; and is so madly recorded in those inextricable, dateless, chaotic Books. We have now come to regions of Narrative, which seem to consist of murky Nothingness put on boil; not land, or water, or air, or fire, but a tumultuously whirling commixture of all the four; of immense extent too. Which must be got crossed, in some human manner. Courage, patience, good reader! QUEEN SOPHIE DOROTHEE HAS TAKEN TIME BY THE FORELOCK. Already, for a dozen years, this matter has been treated of. Queen Sophie Dorothee, ever since the birth of her Wilhelmina, has had the notion of it; and, on her first visit afterwards to Hanover, proposed it to "Princess Caroline," Queen Caroline of England who was to be, and who in due course was; an excellent accomplished Brandenburg Anspach Lady, familiar from of old in the Prussian Court: "You, Caroline, Cousin dear, have a little Prince, Fritz, or let us call him FRED, since he is to be English; little Fred, who will one day, if all go right, be King of England. He is two years older than my little Wilhelmina: why should not they wed, and the two chief Protestant Houses, and Nations, thereby be united?" Princess Caroline was very willing; so was Electress Sophie, the Great Grandmother of both the parties; so were the Georges, Father and Grandfather of Fred: little Fred himself was highly charmed, when told of it; even little Wilhelmina, with her dolls, looked pleasantly demure on the occasion... Continue reading book >>

History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05 By: Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

First Page:

HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II OF PRUSSIA

FREDERICK THE GREAT

By Thomas Carlyle

BOOK V. DOUBLE MARRIAGE PROJECT, AND WHAT ELEMENT IT FELL INTO. 1723 1726.

Chapter I. DOUBLE MARRIAGE IS DECIDED ON.

We saw George I. at Berlin in October, 1723, looking out upon his little Grandson drilling the Cadets there; but we did not mention what important errand had brought his Majesty thither.

Visits between Hanover and Berlin had been frequent for a long time back; the young Queen of Prussia, sometimes with her husband, sometimes without, running often over to see her Father; who, even after his accession to the English crown, was generally for some months every year to be met with in those favorite regions of his. He himself did not much visit, being of taciturn splenetic nature: but this once he had agreed to return a visit they had lately made him, where a certain weighty Business had been agreed upon, withal; which his Britannic Majesty was to consummate formally, by treaty, when the meeting in Berlin took effect. His Britannic Majesty, accordingly, is come; the business in hand is no other than that thrice famous "Double Marriage" of Prussia with England; which once had such a sound in the ear of Rumor, and still bulks so big in the archives of the Eighteenth Century; which worked such woe to all parties concerned in it; and is, in fact, a first rate nuisance in the History of that poor Century, as written hitherto. Nuisance demanding urgently to be abated; were that well possible at present. Which, alas, it is not, to any great degree; there being an important young Friedrich inextricably wrapt up in it, to whom it was of such vital or almost fatal importance! Without a Friedrich, the affair could be reduced to something like its real size, and recorded in a few pages; or might even, with advantage, be forgotten altogether, and become zero. More gigantic instance of much ado about nothing has seldom occurred in human annals; had not there been a Friedrich in the heart of it.

Crown Prince Friedrich is still very young for marriage speculations on his score: but Mamma has thought good to take matters in time. And so we shall, in the next ensuing parts of this poor History, have to hear almost as much about Marriage as in the foolishest Three volume Novel, and almost to still less purpose. For indeed, in that particular, Friedrich's young Life may be called a ROMANCE FLUNG HELLS OVER HEAD; Marriage being the one event there, round which all events turn, but turn in the inverse or reverse way (as if the Devil were in them); not only towards no happy goal for him or Mamma, or us, but at last towards hardly any goal at all for anybody! So mad did the affair grow; and is so madly recorded in those inextricable, dateless, chaotic Books. We have now come to regions of Narrative, which seem to consist of murky Nothingness put on boil; not land, or water, or air, or fire, but a tumultuously whirling commixture of all the four; of immense extent too. Which must be got crossed, in some human manner. Courage, patience, good reader!

QUEEN SOPHIE DOROTHEE HAS TAKEN TIME BY THE FORELOCK.

Already, for a dozen years, this matter has been treated of. Queen Sophie Dorothee, ever since the birth of her Wilhelmina, has had the notion of it; and, on her first visit afterwards to Hanover, proposed it to "Princess Caroline," Queen Caroline of England who was to be, and who in due course was; an excellent accomplished Brandenburg Anspach Lady, familiar from of old in the Prussian Court: "You, Caroline, Cousin dear, have a little Prince, Fritz, or let us call him FRED, since he is to be English; little Fred, who will one day, if all go right, be King of England. He is two years older than my little Wilhelmina: why should not they wed, and the two chief Protestant Houses, and Nations, thereby be united?" Princess Caroline was very willing; so was Electress Sophie, the Great Grandmother of both the parties; so were the Georges, Father and Grandfather of Fred: little Fred himself was highly charmed, when told of it; even little Wilhelmina, with her dolls, looked pleasantly demure on the occasion... Continue reading book >>

Book sections
History of Friedrich II of Prussia	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 02	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 03
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 04	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 06
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 07	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 08	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 09
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 10	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 11	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 12
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 14	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 15
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 16	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 17	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 18
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20	History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 21
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Appendix

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