history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第35节

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s　at　Berlin；　a　Jacobite　Irishman；　of　blusterous　Irish　qualities；　though　with　plenty　of　sagacity　and　rough　sense；　likes　La　Mettrie；　and　is　not　much　a　favorite　with　Friedrich。

Tyrconnel　had　said；　at　first；when　Rothenburg；　privately　from　Friedrich；　came　to　consult　him；　〃What　are；　in　practical　form；　those　'assistances　from　the　Most　Christian　Majesty；'　should　we　MAKE　Alliance　with　him；　as　your　Excellency　proposes；　and　chance　to　be　attacked？〃〃MORBLEU；　assistance　enough　＇enumerating　several＇：　MAIS　MORBLEU；　SI　VOUS　NOUS　TROMPEX；　VOUS　SEREZ　ECRASES　（if　you　deceive　us；　you　will　be　squelched）！〃　＇Valori；　ii。　130；　&c。＇　〃He　had　been　chosen　for　his　rough　tongue；〃　says　Valori；　our　French　Court　being　piqued　at　Friedrich　and　his　sarcasms。　Tyrconnel　gives　splendid　dinners：　Voltaire　often　of　them；　does　not　love　Potsdam；　nor　is　loved　by　it。　Nay；　I　sometimes　think　a　certain　DEMON　NEWSWRITER　（of　whom　by　and　by）；　but　do　not　know；　may　be　some　hungry　Attache　of　Tyrconnel's。　Hungry　Attache；　shut　out　from　the　divine　Suppers　and　upper　planetary　movements；　and　reduced　to　look　on　them　from　his　cold　hutch；　in　a　dog…like　angry　and　hungry　manner？　His　flying　allusions　to　Voltaire；　〃SON　（Friedrich's）　SQUELETTE　D'APOLLON；　skeleton　of　an　Apollo；〃　and　the　like；　are　barkings　almost　rabid。

Of　the　military　sort；　about　this　time；　Keith　and　Rothenburg　appear　most　frequently　as　guests　or　companions。　Rothenburg　had　a　great　deal　of　Friedrich's　regard：　Winterfeld　is　more　a　practical　Counseller；　and　does　not　shine　in　learned　circles；　as　Rothenburg　may。　A　fiery　soldier　too；　this　Rothenburg；　withal；a　man　probably　of　many　talents　and　qualities；　though　of　distinctly　decipherable　there　is　next　to　no　record　of　him　or　them。　He　had　a　Parisian　Wife；　who　is　sometimes　on　the　point　of　coming　with　Niece　Denis　to　Berlin；　and　of　setting　up　their　two　French　households　there；　but　never　did　it；　either　of　them；　to　make　an　Uncle　or　a　Husband　happy。　Rothenburg　was　bred　a　Catholic：　〃he　headed　the　subscription　for　the　famous　'KATHOLISCHE　KIRCHE；'〃　so　delightful　to　the　Pope　and　liberal　Christians　in　those　years；　〃but　never　gave　a　sixpence　of　money；〃　says　Voltaire　once：　Catholic　KIRK　was　got　completed　with　difficulty；　stands　there　yet；　like　a　large　washbowl　set；　bottom　uppermost；　on　the　top　of　a　narrowish　tub；　but　none　of　Rothenburg's　money　is　in　it。　In　Voltaire's　Correspondence　there　is　frequent　mention　of　him；　not　with　any　love；　but　with　a　certain　secret　respect；　rather　inclined　to　be　disrespectful；　if　it　durst　or　could：　the　eloquent　vocal　individual　not　quite　at　ease　beside　the　more　silent　thinking　and　acting　one。　What　we　know　is；　Friedrich　greatly　loved　the　man。　There　is　some　straggle　of　CORRESPONDENCE　between　Friedrich　and　him　left；　but　it　is　worth　nothing；　gives　no　testimony　of　that；　or　of　anything　else　noticeable：and　that　is　the　one　fact　now　almost　alone　significant　of　Rothenburg。　Much　loved　and　esteemed　by　the　King；　employed　diplomatically；　now　and　then；　perhaps　talked　　with　on　such　subjects；　which　was　the　highest　distinction。　Poor　man；　he　is　in　very　bad　health　in　these　months；　has　never　rightly　recovered　of　his　wounds；　and　dies　in　the　last　days　of　1751；to　the　bitter　sorrow　of　the　King；　as　is　still　on　record。　A　highly　respectable　dim　figure；　far　more　important　in　Friedrich's　History　than　he　looks。　As　King's　guest；　he　can　in　these　months　play　no　part。　

Highly　respectable　too；　and　well　worth　talking　to；　though　left　very　dim　to　us　in　the　Books；　is　Marshal　Keith；　who　has　been　growing　gradually　with　the　King；　and　with　everybody；　ever　since　he　came　to　these　parts　in　1747。　A　man　of　Scotch　type；　the　broad　accent；　with　its　sagacities；　veracities；　with　its　steadfastly　fixed　moderation；　and　its　sly　twinkles　of　defensive　humor；　is　still　audible　to　us　through　the　foreign　wrappages。　Not　given　to　talk；　unless　there　is　something　to　be　said；　but　well　capable　of　it　then。　Friedrich；　the　more　he　knows　him；　likes　him　the　better。　On　all　manner　of　subjects　he　can　talk　knowingly；　and　with　insight　of　his　own。　On　Russian　matters　Friedrich　likes　especially　to　hear　him；though　they　differ　in　regard　to　the　worth　of　Russian　troops。　〃Very　considerable　military　qualities　in　those　Russians；〃　thinks　Keith：　〃imperturbably　obedient；　patient；　of　a　tough　fibre；　and　are　beautifully　strict　to　your　order；　on　the　parade…ground　or　off。〃　〃Pooh；　mere　rubbish；　MON　CHER；〃　thinks　Friedrich　always。　To　which　Keith；　unwilling　to　argue　too　long；　will　answer：　〃Well；　it　is　possible　enough　your　Majesty　may　try　them；　some　day；　if　I　am　wrong；　it　will　be　all　the　better　for　us！〃　Which　Friedrich　had　occasion　to　remember　by　and　by。　Friedrich　greatly　respects　this　sagacious　gentleman　with　the　broad　accent：　his　Brother；　the　Lord　Marischal；　is　now　in　France：　Ambassador　at　Paris；　since　September；　1751：　＇〃Left　Potsdam　28th　August〃　（Rodenbeck；　i。　220）。＇　〃Lord　Marischal；　a　Jacobite；　for　Prussian　Ambassador　in　Paris；　Tyrconnel；　a　Jacobite；　for　French　Ambassador　in　Berlin！〃　grumble　the　English。　　


　　　　FRACTIONS　OF　EVENTS　AND　INDICATIONS；　FROM　VOLTAIRE　HIMSELF；　　　　　　　　IN　THIS　TIME；　MORE　OR　LESS　ILLUMINATIVE　WHEN　REDUCED　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TO　ORDER。

Here；　selected　from　more；　are　a　few　〃fire…flies；〃not　dancing　or　distracted；　but　authentic　all；　and　stuck　each　on　its　spit；　shedding　a　feeble　glimmer　over　the　physiognomy　of　those　Fifteen　caliginous　Months；　to　an　imagination　that　is　diligent。　Fractional　utterances　of　Voltaire　to　Friedrich　and　others　（in　abridged　form；　abridgment　indicated）：　the　exact　dates　are　oftenest　irretrievably　gone；　but　the　glimmer　of　light　is　indisputable；　all　the　more　as；　on　Voltaire's　part；　it　is　mostly　involuntary。　Grouping　and　sequence　must　be　other　than　that　of　Time。

POTSDAM；　5th　JUNE；　1751。King　is　off　on　that　Ost…Friesland　jaunt；　Voltaire　at　Potsdam；　〃at　what　they　call　the　Marquisat；〃　in　complete　solitude；preparing　to　die　before　long；sends　his　Majesty　some　poor　trifles　of　Scribbling；　proofs　of　my　love；　Sire：　〃since　I　live　solitary；　when　you　are　not　at　Potsdam；　it　would　seem　I　came　for　you　only〃　（note　that；　your　Majesty）！　。。。　〃But　in　return　for　the　rags　here　sent；　I　expect　the　Sixth　Canto　of　your　ART　＇ART　DE　LA　GUERRE；　one　of　the　Two　pupil…and…schoolmaster　〃Specimens〃　mentioned　above＇；　I　expect　the　ROOF　to　the　Temple　of　Mars。　It　is　for　you；　alone　of　men；　to　build　that　Temple；　as　it　was　for　Ovid　to　sing　of　Love；　and　for　Horace　to　give　an　ART　OF　POETRY。〃　（Laying　it　on　pretty　thick！）　。。。

Then　again；　later　（after　severe　study；　ferula　in　hand）：　〃Sire；　I　return　your　Majesty　your　Six　Cantos；　I　surrender　at　discretion　（LUI　LAISSE　CARTE…BLANCHE）　on　that　qu。estion　of　'VICTOIRE。'　The　whole　Poem　is　worthy　of　you：　if　I　had　made　this　Journey　only　to　see　a　thing　so　unique；　I　ought　not　to　regret　my　Country。〃　。。。　And　again　（still　no　date）：　〃GRAND　DIEU！　is　not　all　that　＇HISTORY　OF　THE　GREAT　ELECTOR；　by　your　Majesty；　which　I　am　devouring　with　such　appetite＇　neat；　elegant；　precise；　and；　above　all；　philosophical！〃〃Sire；　you　are　adorable；　I　will　pass　my　days　at　your　feet。　Oh；　never　make　game　of　me　（DES　NICHES）！〃　Has　he　been　at　that；　say　you！　〃If　the　Kings　of　Denmark；　Portugal；　Spain；　&c。　did　it；　I　should　not　care　a　pin；　they　are　only　Kings。　But　you　are　the　greatest　man　that　perhaps　ever　reigned。〃　＇＇In　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxii。　271；　273。＇

IS　ON　LEAVE　OF　ABSENCE；　NEAR　BY；　WISHES　TO　BE　CALLED　AGAIN　（No　date）。〃Sire；　if　you　like　free　criticism；　if　you　tolerate　sincere　praises；　if　you　wish　to　perfect　a　Work　＇ART　DE　LA　GUERRE；　or　some　other　as　sublime＇；　which　you　alone　in　Europe　are　capable　of　doing；　you　have　only　to　bid　a　Hermit　come　upstairs。　At　your　orders　for　all　his　life。〃　＇Ib。　261。＇

IN　BERLIN　PALACE：　PLEASE　DON'T　TURN　ME　OUT！　（No　date）　。。。　〃Next　to　you；　I　love　work　and　retirement。　Nobody　whatever　complains　of　me。　I　ask　of　your　Majesty；　in　order　to　keep　unaltered　the　happiness　I　owe　to　you；　this　favor；　Not　to　turn　me　out　of　the　Apartment　you　deigned　to　give　me　at　Berlin；　till　I　go　for　Paris　＇always　talking　of　that＇。　If　I　were　to　leave　it；　they　would　put　in　the　Gazettes　that　I〃　Oh；　what　would　n't　they　put　in；　of　one　that；　belonging　to　King　Friedrich；　lives　as　it　were　in　the　Disc　of　the　Sun；　conspicuous　to　everybody！〃I　will　go　out　＇of　the　Apartment＇　when　some　Prince；　with　a　Suite　needing　it　to　lodge　in；　comes；　and　then　the　thing　will　be　honorable。　Chasot　＇gone　to　Paris＇　has　been　talking〃unguarded　things　of　me！　〃I　have　not　uttered　the　least　complaint　of　Chasot：　I　never　will　of　Chasot；　nor　of　those　who　have　set　him　on　＇Maupertuis　belike＇：　I　forgive　everything；　I！〃　＇Ib。　270。＇

ROTHENBURG　IS　ILL；　VOLTAIRE　HAS　BEEN　TO　SEE　HIM　（〃Berlin；　14th；〃　no　month；　year；　too　surely；　1751；　as　we　shall　find！　Letter　is　IN　VERSE）。〃Lieberkuhn　was　going　to　kill　poor　Rothenburg；　to　send　him　off　to　Pluto；for　liking　his　dish　a　little；monster　Lieberkuhn！　But　Doctor　Joyous；〃　your　reader；　La　Mettrie；led　by；　need　I　say　whom？〃has　brought　him　back　to　us：think　of　Lieberkuhn's　solemn　stare！　Pretty　contrasts；　those；　of　sublime　Quacksalverism；　with　Sense　under　the　mask　of　Folly。　May　the　haemorrhoidal　vein〃follows　HERE；　note　it；　exquisite　reader；　that　of　〃CUL　DE　MON　HEROS；〃　cited　above！）　。。。

And　then　（a　day　or　two　after；　King　too　haemorrhoidal　to　come　twenty　miles；　but　anxious　to　know）：　〃Sire；　no　doubt　Doctor　Joyous　（LE　MEDECIN　JOYEUX）　has　informed　yo