history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第21节
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tch； is coming to her Jove。 It is Jove she wants； not the Shower of Jove； nevertheless〃And Friedrich （thank Hanbury； in part； for that bit of knowledge） had remitted him in hard money 600 pounds 〃to pay the tolls on his road。〃 ＇Walpole； i。 451 （〃Had it from Princess Amelia herself〃）； see Voltaire to Friedrich； 〃Paris； 9th June； 1750；〃 Friedrich to Voltaire； 〃Potsdam； 24th May〃 （ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 158； 155）。＇ As a high gentleman would； to have done with those base elements of the business。
Nay furthermore； precisely two days before those splendors of the Carrousel； Friedrich；in answer to new cunning croakeries and contrivances （〃Sire； this Letter from my Niece； who is inconsolable that I should think of staying here；〃 where； finding oneself so divinized； one is disposed to stay）；has answered him like a King： By Gold Key of Chamberlain； Cross of the Order of Merit； and Pension of 20；000 francs （850 pounds） a year；conveyed in as royal a Letter of Business as I have often read； melodious as Apollo； this too； though all in business prose； and； like Apollo； practical God of the SUN in this case。 ＇〃Berlin； 23d August； 1750〃 （ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 255）；Voltaire to Niece Denis； 〃24th August〃 （misprinted 〃14th〃）； to D'Argental； 〃28th August〃 （ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxiv。 185； 196）。＇ Dated 23d August； 1750。 This Letter of Friedrich's I fancy to be what Voltaire calls； 〃Your Majesty's gracious Agreement with me；〃 and often appeals to； in subsequent troubles。 Not quite a Notarial Piece； on Friedrich's part； but strictly observed by him as such。
Four days after which； Collini sees Voltaire serenely shining among the Princes and Princesses of the world； Amphitheatre all whispering with bated breath； 〃Voltaire！ Voltaire！〃 But let us hear Voltaire himself； from the interior of the Phenomenon； at this its culminating point：
Voltaire to his D'Argentals；to Niece Denis even； with whom； if with no other； he is quite without reserve； in showing the bad and the good；continues radiantly eloquent in these first months： 。。。 〃Carrousel； twice over； the like never seen for splendor； for ＇rather copious on this sublimity＇After which we played ROME SAUVEE ＇my Anti…Crebillon masterpiece＇； in a pretty little Theatre； which I have got constructed in the Princess Amelia's Antechamber。 I； who speak to you； I played CICERO。〃 Yes； and was manager and general stage…king and contriver； being expert at this； if at anything。 And these beautiful Theatricals had begun weeks ago； and still lasted many weeks； ＇Rodenbeck； 〃August…October；〃 1750。＇with such divine consultings； directings； even orderings of the brilliant Royalties concerned。Duvernet （probably on D'Arget's authority） informs us that 〃once； in one of the inter…acts； finding the soldiers allowed him for Pretorian Guards not to understand their business here；〃 not here； as they did at Hohenfriedberg and elsewhere； 〃Voltaire shrilled volcanically out to them ＇happily unintelligible）： 'F； Devil take it； I asked for men； and they have sent me Germans （J'AI DEMANDE DES HOMMES； ET L'ON M'ENVOIE DES ALLEMANDS）！' At which the Princesses were good…natured enough to burst into laughter。〃 ＇Duvernet （Second）； p。 162；time probably 15th October。＇ Voltaire continues： 〃There is an English Ambassador here who knows Cicero's Orations IN CATILINAM by heart；〃 an excellent Etonian； surely。 〃It is not Milord Tyrconnell〃 （blusterous Irish Jacobite； OUR Ambassador； note him； fat Valori having been recalled）； no； 〃it is the Envoy from England；〃 Excellency Hanbury himself； who knows his Cicero by heart。 〃He has sent me some fine verses on ROME SAUVEE； he says it is my best work。 It is a Piece appropriate for Ministerial people； Madame la Chanceliere；〃 Cocceji's better half； 〃is well pleased with it。 ＇ OEuvres； lxxiv。 （LETTERS； to the D'Argentals and Denis； 〃20th August…23d September； 1750〃）； pp。 187； 219； 231； &c。 &c。＇ And then；〃But enough。
In Princess Amelia's Antechamber； there or in other celestial places； in Palace after Palace； it goes on。 Gayety succeeding gayety； mere Princesses and Princes doing parts； in ROME SAUVEE； and in masterpieces of Voltaire's； Voltaire himself acting CICERO and elderly characters； LUSIGNAN and the like。 Excellent in acting； say the witnesses； superlative； for certain； as Preceptor of the art；though impatient now and then。 And wears such Jewel…ornaments （borrowed partly from a Hebrew； of whom anon）； such magnificence of tasteful dress；and walks his minuet among the Morning Stars。 Not to mention the Suppers of the King： chosen circle； with the King for centre； a radiant Friedrich flashing out to right and left； till all kindles into coruscation round him； and it is such a blaze of spiritual sheet…lightnings；wonderful to think of； Voltaire especially electric。 Never； or seldom； were seen such suppers； such a life for a Supreme Man of Letters so fitted with the place due to him。 Smelfungus says：
〃And so your Supreme of Literature has got into his due place at last；at the top of the world； namely； though； alas； but for moments or for months。 The King's own Friend； he whom the King delights to honor。 The most shining thing in Berlin； at this moment。 Virtually a kind of PAPA； or Intellectual Father of Mankind；〃 sneers Smelfungus； 〃Pope improvised for the nonce。 The new Fridericus Magnus does as the old Pipinus； old Carolus Magnus did： recognizes his Pope； in despite of the base vulgar； elevates him aloft into worship； for the vulgar and for everybody！ Carolus Magnus did that thrice…salutary feat ＇sublimely human； if you think of it； and for long centuries successful more or less＇； Fridericus Magnus； under other omens； unconsciously does the like； the best he can！ Let the Opera Fiddlers； the Frerons； Travenols and Desfontaines…of…Sodom's Ghost look and consider！〃
Madame Denis； an expensive gay Lady； still only in her thirties； improvable by rouge； carries on great work in the Rue Traversiere； private theatricals； suppers； flirtations with Italian travelling Marquises；finds Intendant Longchamp much in her way； with his rigorous account…books； and restriction to 100 louis per month； wishes even her Uncle were back； and cautions him； Not to believe in Friedrich's flattering unctions； or put his trust in Princes at all。 Voltaire； with the due preliminaries； shows Friedrich her Letter； one of her Letters； ＇Now lost； as most of them are； Voltaire's Answer to it； already cited； is 〃24th August； 1750〃 （misprinted 〃14th August；〃 OEuvres； lxxiv。 185； see IB。 lxxv。 135）； King Friedrich's PRACTICAL Answer （so munificent to Denis and Voltaire）； 〃Your Majesty's gracious Agreement；〃 bore date 〃August 23d。〃＇with result as we saw above。
Formey says： 〃In the Carnival time； which Voltaire usually passed at Berlin； in the Palace； people paid their court to him as to a declared Favorite。 Princes； Marshals； Ministers of State； Foreign Ambassadors； Lords of the highest rank； attended his audience； and were received；〃 says Formey； nowhere free from spite on this subject； 〃in a sufficiently lofty style （HAUTEUR ASSEZ DEDAIGNEUSE）。 ＇Formey； Souvenirs； i。 235； 236。＇ A great Prince had the complaisance to play chess with him； and to let him win the pistoles that were staked。 Sometimes even the pistole disappeared before the end of the game；〃 continues Formey； green with spite；and reports that sad story of the candle…ends； bits of wax…candle； which should have remained as perquisite to the valets； but which were confiscated by Voltaire and sent across to the wax…chandler's。 So； doubtless； the spiteful rumor ran； probably little but spite and fable； Berlin being bitter in its gossip。 Stupid Thiebault repeats that of the candle…ends； like a thing he had seen （twelve years BEFORE his arrival in those parts）； and adds that Voltaire 〃put them in his pocket；〃like one both stupid and sordid。 Alas； the brighter your shine； the blacker is the shadow you cast。
Friedrich； with the knowledge he already had of his yoke…fellow； one of the most skittish； explosive； unruly creatures in harness； cannot be counted wise to have plunged so heartily into such an adventure with him。 〃An undoubted Courser of the Sun！〃 thought Friedrich；and forgot too much the signs of bad going he had sometimes noticed in him on the common highways。 There is no doubt he was perfectly sincere and simple in all this high treatment of Voltaire。 〃The foremost； literary spirit of the world； a man to be honored by me； and by all men； the Trismegistus of Human Intellects； what a conquest to have made； how cheap is a little money； a little patience and guidance； for such solacement and ornament to one's barren Life！〃 He had rashly hoped that the dreams of his youth could hereby still be a little realized； and something of the old Reinsberg Program become a fruitful and blessed fact。 Friedrich is loyally glad over his Voltaire； eager in all ways to content him； make him happy； and keep him here； as the Talking Bird； the Singing Tree and the Golden Water of intelligent mankind； the glory of one's own Court； and the envy of the world。 〃Will teach us the secret of the Muses； too； French Muses； and help us in our bits of Literature！〃 This
