history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第36节

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　Ainsi　mon　seul　asile　et　mon　unique　port　　　　　　　　　　Se　trouve；　chere　soeur；　dans　les　bras　de　la　mort。〃　　　＇　OEuvres；　　xii。　36…42；　is　sent　off　to　Wilhelmina　24th　August。＇

2。　WILHELMINA　TO　VOLTAIRE；　WITH　SOMETHING　OF　ANSWER　（First　of　certain　intercalary　Prose　Pieces）。Wilhelmina　has　been　writing　to　Voltaire　before；　and　getting　consolations　since　Kolin；　but　her　Letters　are　lost；　till　this　the　earliest　that　is　left　us：

BAIREUTH；　19th　AUGUST；　1757　（TO　VOLTAIRE）。〃One　first　knows　one's　friends　when　misfortunes　arrive。　The　Letter　you　have　written　does　honor　to　your　way　of　thinking。　I　cannot　tell　you　how　much　I　am　sensible　to　what　you　have　done　＇set　Cardinal　Tencin　astir；　with　result　we　will　hope＇。　The　King；　my　Brother；　is　as　much　so　as　I。　You　will　find　a　Note　here；　which　he　bids　me　transmit　to　you　＇Note　lost＇。　That　great　man　is　still　the　same。　He　supports　his　misfortunes　with　a　courage　and　a　firmness　worthy　of　him。　He　could　not　get　the　Note　transcribed。　It　began　by　verses。　Instead　of　throwing　sand　on　it；　he　took　the　ink…bottle；　that　is　the　reason　why　it　is　cut　in　two。〃

This　Note；　we　say；　is　lost　to　us；all　but　accidentally　thus：　Voltaire；　12th　September；　writes　twice　to　friends。　Writing　to　his　D'Argentals；　he　says：　〃The　affairs　of　this　King　＇Friedrich＇　go　from　bad　to　worse。　I　know　not　if　I　told　you　of　the　Letter　he　wrote　to　me　about　three　weeks　ago　＇say　August　17th…18th：　this　same　Note　through　Wilhelmina；　evidently＇：　'I　have　learned；'　says　he；　'that　you　had　interested　yourself　in　my　successes　and　misfortunes。　There　remains　to　me　nothing　but　to　sell　my　life　dear；'　&c。　His　Sister　writes　me　one　much　more　lamentable；〃　the　one　we　are　now　reading：

〃I　am　in　a　frightful　state；　and　will　not　survive　the　destruction　of　my　House　and　Family。　That　is　the　one　consolation　that　remains　to　me。　You　will　have　fine　subjects　for　making　Tragedies　of。　O　times！　O　manners！　You　will；　by　the　illusory　representation；　perhaps　draw　tears；　while　all　contemplate　with　dry　eyes　the　reality　of　these　miseries：　the　downfall　of　a　whole　House；　against　which；　if　the　truth　were　known；　there　is　no　solid　complaint。　I　cannot　write　farther　of　it：　my　soul　is　so　troubled　that　I　know　not　what　I　am　doing。　But　whatever　happen；　be　persuaded　that　I　am　more　than　ever　your　friend；WILHELMINA。〃　＇In　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　lxxvii。　30。＇

Friedrich；　while　Wilhelmina　writes　so；　is　at　the　foot　of　the　Eckartsberg；　eagerly　manoeuvring　with　the　Austrians；　in　hopes　of　getting　battle　out　of　them；which　he　cannot。　Friedrich；　while　he　wrote　that　Note　to　Voltaire；　and　instead　of　sand…box　shook　the　ink…bottle　over　it；　was　just　going　out　on　that　errand。

VOLTAIRE；　12th　SEPTEMBER　（to　a　Lady　whose　Son　is　in　the　D'Estrees　wars）。　＇Ib。　lxxii。　55。　56。＇〃Here　are　mighty　revolutions；　Madame；　and　we　are　not　at　the　end　yet。　They　say　there　have　18；000　Hanoverians　been　disposed　of　at　Stade　＇Convention　of　Kloster…　Zeven＇。　That　is　no　small　matter。　I　can　hope　M。　Richelieu　＇who　is　〃MON　HEROS；〃　when　I　write　to　himself＇　will　adorn　his　head　with　the　laurels　they　have　stuck　in　his　pocket。　I　wish　Monsieur　your　Son　abundance　of　honor　and　glory　without　wounds；　and　to　you；　Madame；　unalterable　health。　The　King　of　Prussia　has　written　me　a　very　touching　Letter　＇one　line　of　which　we　have　read＇；　but　I　have　always　Madame　Denis's　adventure　on　my　heart；〃　at　Frankfurt　yonder。　〃If　I　were　well；　I　would　take　a　run　to　Frankfurt　myself　on　the　business；〃　now　that　Soubise's　reserves　are　in　those　parts；　and　could　give　Freytag　and　Schmidt　such　a　dusting　for　me；　if　they　liked！　Shall　I　write　to　Collini　on　it？　Does　write；　and　again　write；　the　second　year　hence；　as　still　better　chances　rise。　＇Collini；　pp。　208…211　（〃January…May；　1759〃）。＇

3。　WILHELMINA　TO　VOLTAIRE　AGAIN；　WITH　ANSWER　（Second　of　the　Prose　Pieces）。Not　a　very　zealous　friend　of　Friedrich's；　after　all；　this　Voltaire！　Poor　Wilhelmina；　terrified　by　that　EPITRE　of　her　Brother's；　and　his　fixed　purpose　of　seeking　Death；　has；　in　her　despair　（though　her　Letter　is　lost）；　been　urging　Voltaire　to　write　dissuading　him；as　Voltaire　does。　Of　which　presently。　Her　Letter　to　Voltaire　on　this　thrice…important　subject　is　lost。　But　in　the　very　hours　while　Voltaire　sat　writing　what　we　have　just　read；　〃always　with　Madame　Denis's　adventure　on　my　heart；〃　Wilhelmina；　at　Baireuth；　is　again　writing　to　him　as　follows：

BAIREUTH；　12th　SEPTEMBER；　1757　（TO　VOLTAIRE）。〃Your　Letter　has　sensibly　touched　me；　that　which　you　addressed　to　me　for　the　King　＇both　Letters　lost　to　us＇　has　produced　the　same　effect　on　him。　I　hope　you　will　be　satisfied　with　his　Answer　as　to　what　concerns　yourself；　but　you　will　be　as　little　so　as　I　am　with　the　resolutions　he　has　formed。　I　had　flattered　myself　that　your　reflections　would　make　some　impression　on　his　mind。　You　will　see　the　contrary　by　the　Letter　adjoined。　〃To　me　there　remains　nothing　but　to　follow　his　destiny　if　it　is　unfortunate。　I　have　never　piqued　myself　on　being　a　philosopher；　though　I　have　made　my　efforts　to　become　so。　The　small　progress　I　made　did　teach　me　to　despise　grandeurs　and　riches：　but　I　could　never　find　in　philosophy　any　cure　for　the　wounds　of　the　heart；　except　that　of　getting　done　with　our　miseries　by　ceasing　to　live。　The　state　I　am　in　is　worse　than　death。　I　see　the　greatest　man　of　his　age；　my　Brother；　my　friend；　reduced　to　the　frightfulest　extremity。　I　see　my　whole　Family　exposed　to　dangers　and　perhaps　destruction；　my　native　Country　torn　by　pitiless　enemies；　the　Country　where　I　am　＇Reichs　Army；　Anspach；　what　not＇　menaced　by　perhaps　similar　misfortune。　Would　to　Heaven　I　were　alone　loaded　with　all　the　miseries　I　have　described　to　you！　I　would　suffer　them；　and　with　firmness。

〃Pardon　these　details。　You　invite　me；　by　the　part　you　take　in　what　regards　me；　to　open　my　heart　to　you。　Alas；　hope　is　well…nigh　banished　from　it。　Fortune；　when　she　changes；　is　as　constant　in　her　persecutions　as　in　her　favors。　History　is　full　of　those　examples：　but　I　have　found　none　equal　to　the　one　we　now　see；　nor　any　War　as　inhuman　and　as　cruel　among　civilized　nations。　You　would　sigh　if　you　knew　the　sad　situation　of　Germany　and　Preussen。　The　cruelties　which　the　Russians　commit　in　that　latter　Country　make　nature　shudder。　＇Details；　horrible　but　authentic；　in　　Helden…Geschichte；　　already　cited。＇　How　happy　you　in　your　Hermitage；　where　you　repose　on　your　laurels；　and　can　philosophize　with　a　calm　mind　on　the　deliriums　of　men！　I　wish　you　all　the　happiness　imaginable。　If　Fortune　ever　favor　us　again；　count　on　all　my　gratitude。　I　will　never　forget　the　marks　of　attachment　which　you　have　given；　my　sensibility　is　your　warrant；　I　am　never　half…and…　half　a　friend；　and　I　shall　always　be　wholly　so　of　Brother　Voltaire。WILHELMINA。

〃Many　compliments　to　Madame　Denis。　Continue；　I　pray　you；　to　write　to　the　King。〃　＇In　　Voltaire；　　ii。　197…199；　lxxvii。　57。＇

VOLTAIRE　TO　WILHELMINA　（Day　uncertain：　THE　DELICES；　SEPTEMBER；　1757）。〃Madam；　my　heart　is　touched　more　than　ever　by　the　goodness　and　the　confidence　your　Royal　Highness　deigns　to　show　me。　How　can　I　be　but　melted　by　emotion！　I　see　that　it　is　solely　your　nobleness　of　soul　that　renders　you　unhappy。　I　feel　myself　born　to　be　attached　with　idolatry　to　superior　and　sympathetic　minds；　who　think　like　you。　〃You　know　how　much　I　have　always；　essentially　and　at　heart；　been　attached　to　the　King　your　Brother。　The　more　my　old　age　is　tranquil；　and　come　to　renounce　everything；　and　make　my　retreat　here　a　home　and　country；　the　more　am　I　devoted　to　that　Philosopher…King。　I　write　nothing　to　him　but　what　I　think　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　nothing　that　I　do　not　think　most　true；　and　if　my　Letter　＇dissuasive　of　seeking　Death；　wait；　reader＇　appears　to　your　Royal　Highness　to　be　suitable；　I　beg　you　to　protect　it　with　him；　as　you　have　done　the　foregoing。〃　＇In　　Voltaire；　　lxxvii。　37；　39。＇

4。　FRIEDRICH　TO　WILHELMINA；　AND；　BY　ANTICIPATION；　HER　ANSWER　（Third　of　the　Prose　Pieces）。〃KIRSCHLEBEN；　NEAR　ERFURT；　17th　SEPTEMBER；　1757。My　dearest　Sister；　I　find　no　other　consolation　but　in　your　precious　Letters。　May　Heaven　reward　so　much　virtue　and　such　heroic　sentiments！

〃Since　I　wrote　last　to　you；　my　misfortunes　have　but　gone　on　accumulating。　It　seems　as　though　Destiny　would　discharge　all　its　wrath　and　fury　upon　the　poor　Country　which　I　had　to　rule　over。　The　Swedes　have　entered　Pommern。　The　French；　after　having　concluded　a　Neutrality　humiliating　to　the　King　of　England　and　themselves　＇Kloster…Zeven；　which　we　know＇；　are　in　full　march　upon　Halberstadt　and　Magdeburg。　From　Preussen　I　am　in　daily　expectation　of　hearing　of　a　battle　having　been　fought：　the　proportion　of　combatants　being　25；000　against　80；000　＇was　fought；　Gross…Jagersdorf；　30th　August；　and　lost　accordingly＇。　The　Austrians　have　marched　into　Silesia；　whither　the　Prince　of　Bevern　follows　them。　I　have　advanced　this　way　to　fall　upon　the　corps　of　the　allied　Army；　which　has　run　off；　and　intrenched　itself；　behind　Eisenach；　amongst　hills；　whither　to　follow；　still　more　to　attack　them；　all　rules　of　war　forbid。　The　moment　I　retire　towards　Saxony；　this　whole　swarm　will　be　upon　my　heels。　Happen　what　may；　I　am　determined；　at　all　risks；　to　fall　upon　whatever　corps　of　the　enemy　approaches　me　nearest。　I　shall　even　bless　Heaven　for　its　mercy；　if　i