FargraverthanthisSpectreofFurst，MinisterZedlitzhesitates，finallyrefuses，topronouncesuchaSentenceastheKingordersonthesemenofLaw！Estimable，able，conscientiousZedlitz；
zealousonEducationmatters，too；——whomIalwayslikeforcontrivingtoattendaCourseofKant’sLectures，while500milesawayfromhim（actualCourseinKonigsbergUniversity，bytheillustriousKant；everyLecturepunctuallytakeninshort—hand，andtransmittedtoBerlin，postafterpost，forthebusyman）。
[KunoFischer，Kant’sLeben（Mannheim，1860），pp。34，35。]HereisnowsomepainfulCorrespondencebetweentheKingandhim，——painful，yetpleasant:——
KINGTOMINISTERVONZEDLITZ，WHOHASALARMINGDOUBTS（Berlin，28thDecember，1779）。——"YourReportofthe20thinstantinregardtoJudgmentonthearrestedRathshasbeenreceived。ButdoyouthinkIdon’tunderstandyourAdvocatefellowsandtheirquirks；orhowtheycanpolishupabadcause，andbytheirhyperbolesexaggerateorextenuateastheyfindfit？TheGoose—quillclass（FEDERZEUG）
can’tlookatfacts。WhenSoldierssettoinvestigateanything，onanordergiven，theygothestraightwaytothekernelofthematter；uponwhich，plentyofobjectionsfromtheGoose—quillpeople！——ButyoumayassureyourselfIgivemorebelieftoanhonestOfficer，whohashonorintheheartofhim，thantoallyourAdvocatesandsentences。Iperceivewelltheyarethemselvesafraid，anddon’twanttoseeanyoftheirfellowspunished。
"If，therefore，youwillnotobeymyOrder，Ishalltakeanotherinyourplacewhowill；fordepartfromitIwillnot。Youmaytellthemthat。Andknow，foryourpart，thatsuchmiserablejargon（MISERABELSTYL）makesnotthesmallestimpressiononme。
Hereby，then，youaretoguideyourself；andmerelysaywhetheryouwillfollowmyOrderornot；forIwillinnowisefallawayfromit。Iamyourwell—affectionedKing，——FRIEDRICH。"
MARGINALE（inAutograph）。——"MyGentleman[you，HerrvonZedlitz，withyourdubitatings]won’tmakemebelieveblackiswhite。IknowtheAdvocatesleight—of—hand，andwon’tbetakenin。Anexamplehasbecomenecessaryhere，——thoseScoundrels（CANAILLEN）havingsoenormouslymisusedmyname，topractisearbitraryandunheard—ofinjustices。AJudgethatgoesuponchicaningistobepunishedmoreseverelythanahighwayRobber。Foryouhavetrustedtotheone；
youareonyourguardagainsttheother。"
ZEDLITZTOTHEKING（Berlin，31stDecember，1779）。——"IhaveatalltimeshadyourRoyalMajesty’sfavorbeforemyeyesasthesupremehappinessofmylife，andhavemostzealouslyendeavoredtomeritthesame:butIshouldrecognizemyselfunworthyofit，wereI
capableofanundertakingcontrarytomyconviction。Fromthereasonsindicatedbymyself，aswellasbytheCriminal—Senate[Paperofreasonsfortunatelylost]，yourMajestywilldeigntoconsiderthatIamunabletodrawupacondemnatorySentenceagainstyourMajesty’sServants—of—JusticenowunderarrestonaccountoftheArnoldAffair。YourMajesty’stilldeath，——
VONZEDLITZ。"
KINGTOZEDLITZ（Berlin，1stJanuary，1780）。——"MydearState’s—
MinisterFreiherrvonZedlitz，——Itmuchsurprisesmetosee，fromyourNoteofyesterday，thatyonrefusetopronounceajudgmentonthoseServants—of—JusticearrestedfortheirconductintheArnoldCase，accordingtomyOrder。Ifyou，therefore，willnot，Iwill；
anddoitasfollows:——
"1。TheCustrinRegierungs—RathScheibler，who，itappearsinevidence，wasofanoppositeopiniontohisColleagues，andvotedThatthemanup—streamhadnotarighttocutoffthewaterfromthemandown—stream；andthatthepoint，astoArnold’swantingwater，shouldbemorecloselyandstrictlyinquiredinto，——he，Scheibler，shallbesetfreefromhisarrest，andgobacktohispostatCustrin。Andinlikemanner，Kammergerichts—RathRannsleben——whohasevidentlygivenhimselffaithfultroubleaboutthecause，andhasbroughtforwardwithaquitevisibleimpartialityalltheconsiderationsanddubieties，especiallyabouttheconditionofthewaterandtheallegedhurtfulnessofthePond——isabsolvedfromarrest。
"2。AsfortheotherarrestedServants—of—Justice，theyareoneandalldismissedfromoffice（CASSIRT），andcondemnedtooneyear’sFortress—Arrest。Furthermore，theyshallpaytoArnoldthevalueofhisMill，andmakegoodtohim，outoftheirownpocket，allthelossanddamagehehassufferedinthisbusiness；theNeumarkKAMMER（Revenue—Board）totaxandestimatethesame。[Damagecameto1，358thalers，11groschen，1pfennig，——thatis，203pounds14s。
andsomepenceandfarthings；thelastfarthingofwhichwaspunctuallypaidtoArnold，withinthenexteightmonths；][Preuss，iii。409。]——sothat"3。TheMillerArnoldshallbecompletelyputashewas（IN
INTEGRUMRESTITUIRT）。
"Andinsuchwaymustthematter，inallbranchesofit，beimmediatelyproceededwith，gotready，andhandedinformyCompletion（VOLLZIEHUNG）bySignature。Whichyou，therefore，willtakechargeof，withoutdelay。Fortherest，Iwilltellyoufarther，thatIamnotillpleasedtoknowyouonthesideyoushowonthisoccasion[asamanthatwillnotgoagainsthisconscience]，andshallsee，byandby，whatIcanfartherdowithyou。[Lefthimwherehewas，asthebestthing。]Whereafteryouareaccordinglytoguideyourself。AndIremainotherwiseyourwell—
affectionedKing，FRIEDRICH。"
[Ib。iii。519，520；seeib。405n。]
This，then，isanimpartialaccountofthecelebratedpassagebetweenFriedrichandtheLawyersknownbythenameof"theMILLER—
ARNOLDCASE；"whichattractedthenoticeofallEurope，——justwhilethedecenniumoftheFrenchRevolutionwasbeginning。InRussia，theCzarinaCatharine，thefriendofPhilosophers，senttoherSenateacopyofFriedrich’sPROTOCOLOFDECEMBER11th，asanoteworthyinstanceofRoyalsupremejudicature。InFrance，Printsincelebrationofit，——"onePrintbyVangelisti，entitledBALANCE
DEFREDERIC，"——wereexhibitedinshop—windows，expoundedinnewspapers，anddiscoursedofindrawing—rooms。TheCasebroughtintotalkagainanoldMillerCaseofFriedrich’s，whichhadbeenfamousabovethirtyyearsago，whenSans—Souciwasgettingbuilt。
Readersknowit:PotsdamMiller，andhisobstinateWindmill，whichstillgrindsonitsknollinthoselocalities，andwouldnot，atanyprice，becomepartoftheKing’sGardens。"Notatanyprice？"
saidtheKing’sagent:"CannottheKingtakeitfromyoufornothing，ifhechose？""Haven’twetheKammergerichtatBerlin！"
answeredtheMiller。ToFriedrich’sgreatdelight，asappears；——
whichmightrendertheWindmillitselfakindofornamenttohisGardensthenceforth。TheFrenchadmirationoverthesetwoMillerCasescontinuedtobeverygreat。[Dieulafoi，LEMEUNIERDE
SANS—SOUCI（Comedyorfarce，ofIknownotwhatyear）；Andrieux，LE
MOULINDESANS—SOUCI（"Poem，"atINSTITUTNATIONAL15GERMINAL，AN
5），&c。&c。:Preuss，iii。412，413。]
AstoMillerArnoldandhisCause，theunitedvoiceofPrussianSocietycondemnedFriedrich’sprocedure:SuchharshnesstoGrand—
ChancellorFurstandrespectableoldOfficialGentlemen，amountingtothebarbarousandtyrannous，accordingtoPrussianSociety。
Tosupportwhichfeeling，andtestifyitopenly，theydroveincrowdstoFurst’s（somehavetoldmetothePrison—doorstoo，butthatseemshypothetic）；andleftcardsforoldFurstandCompany。
InsightofFriedrich，whoinquired，"Whatisthisstironthestreets，then？"——and，onlearning，madenottheleastaudibleremark；butcontinuedhissalutarycashiermentofthewiggedGentlemen，andimprisonmenttilltheirfulltermran。
Myimpressionhasbeenthat，inBerlinSociety，therewasmoresympathyformererespectabilityofwigthaninFriedrich。
ToFriedrichrespectabilityofwigthatissuesinsolemnlyfailingtodojustice，isamereenormity，greaterthanthemostwiglessconditioncouldbe。Wigless，thethingweretobeendured，athingoneisbornto，moreorless:butinwig，——outuponit！Andthewigwhichscreens，andwouldstrivetodisguiseandeventoembellishsuchathing:Tothegutterswithsuchwig！
InsupportoftheirfeelingforFurstandCompany，BerlinSocietywasfartherobligedtopronouncetheclaimofMillerArnoldanullity，andthatnoinjusticewhateverhadbeendonehim。
Merepretencesonhispart，subterfugesforhisidleconduct，forhisinabilitytopayduerent，saidBerlinSociety。AndthatimpartialSoldier—person，whomFriedrichsenttoexaminebythelightofnature，andreport？"Corruptedhe！"answerthey:
"hadintrigueswith——"Iforgetwhom；somebodyofthewomankind（perhapsArnold’soldhard—featuredWife，ifyouaredrivenintoacorner！）——"andwasnottobedependedonatall！"Inwhichcondemnedstate，BerlinSocietyalmostwhollydisapprovingit，theArnoldProcesswasfoundatFriedrich’sdeath（restorationofhonorstooldFurstandCompany，oneofthefirstactsoftheNewReign，sureofimmediatepopularity）；and，Ithink，prettymuchcontinuessostill，fewornoneinBerlinSocietyadmittingMillerArnold’sclaimtoredress，muchlessdefendingthatonslaughtonFurstandthewigs。[HerrPreusshimselfinclinesthatway，rathercondemnatoryofFriedrich；buthisAccount，asusual，isexactandauthentic，——thoughdistressinglyconfused，andscatteredaboutintodifferentcorners（Preuss，iii。381—413；thenagain，ibid。520
&c。）。Ontheotherhand，thereisoneSegebusch，too，alearnedDoctor，ofAltona，whotakestheKing’sside，——andreallyisratherstupid，argumentativemerely，andunilluminative，ifyoureadhim:
Segebusch，HistorischrechtlicheWurdigungderEinmischungFriedrich’sdesGrossenindiebekannteRechtssachedesMullersArnold，auchfurNicht—Juristen（Altona，1829）。]
Who，fromtheremotedistance，wouldventuretocontradict？
Oncemore，myownpoorimpressionwas，whichIkeepsilentexcepttofriends，thatBerlinSocietywaswrong；thatMillerArnoldhadofatruthlostportionsofhisdam—water，andwasentitledtoabatement；andthatinsuchcase，Friedrich’shorrorattheFurst—
and—CompanyPhenomenon（horroraggravatedbygout）haditshighlyrespectablesidewithal。
When，afterFriedrich’sdeath，onVonGersdorf’surgentreclamations，thecasewasreopened，andallowedtobecarried"intotheSecretTribunal，asthecompetentCourtofAppealinthirdinstance，"thesaidTribunalfound，Thatthelaw—maximdependeduponbytheLowerCourts，asto"theabsoluterightofownersofprivatestreams，"didNOTapplyinthepresentcase；
butthattheDeedof1566did；andalsothat"thefactsastopretendeddamage[PRETENCEmerely]fromlossofwater，weresatisfactorilyprovedagainstArnold:"Gersdorf，therefore，mayhavehisPond；andArnoldmustrefundthemoneypaidtohimfor"damages"bythecondemnedJudges；andalsothepurchase—moneyofhisMill，ifhemeanstokeepthelatter。Allwhichmoneys，however，hisMajestyFriedrichWilhelmII。，Friedrich’sSuccessor，tohavedonewiththematter，handsomelypaidoutofhisownpocket:thehandsomewayofendingit。
InhislastjourneytoWest—Preussen，June，1784，FriedrichsaidtothenewRegierungs—President（ChiefJudge）there:"IamHeadCommissaryofJustice；andhaveaheavyresponsibilitylyingonme，"——aswillyouinthisnewOffice。Friedrichatnomomentneglectedthispartofhisfunctions；andhisprocedureinitthroughout，onecannotbutadmittohavebeenfaithful，beautiful，human。VeryimpatientindeedwhenhecomesuponImbecilityandPedantrythreateningtoextinguishEssenceandFact，amonghisLawPeople！ThisisoneMARGINALEofhis，amongmanysuch，someofthemstillmorestinging，whicharecomfortabletoeveryreader。
TheCaseisthatofamurderer，——murderindisputable；"butmaynotinsanitybesuspected，yourMajesty，suchtheabsenceofmotive，suchthe——？"Majestyanswers:"Thatisnothingbutinanityandstupidpleadingagainstright。Thefellowputachildtodeath；
ifhewereasoldier，youwouldexecutehimwithoutpriest；
andbecausethisCANAILLEisacitizen，youmakehim’melancholic’
togethimoff。Beautifuljustice！"[Preuss，iii。375。]
FriedrichhastosignallDeath—Sentences；andhedoesit，whereverIhavenoticed，rigorouslywell。Fortherest，hisCriminalCalendarseemstobelighterthananyotherofhistime；"inapopulationof5，200，000，"saysheonce，"14to15areannuallycondemnedtodeath。"
ChapterVIII。
THEFURSTENBUND:FRIEDRICH’SLASTYEARS。
AtVienna，onNovember29th，1780，thenobleKaiserinnMariaTheresa，afterashortillness，died。Herendwasbeautifulandexemplary，ashercoursehadbeen。Thedisease，whichseemedatfirstonlyabadcold，provedtohavebeenindurationofthelungs；
thechiefsymptomthroughout，amoreandmoresuffocatingdifficultytobreathe。Ontheedgeofdeath，theKaiserinn，sittinginachair（bedimpossibleinsuchstruggleforbreath），leantherheadbackasifinclinedtosleep。Oneofherwomenarrangedthecushions，askedinawhisper，"WillyourMajestysleep，then？"
"No，"answeredthedyingKaiserinn；"Icouldsleep，butImustnot；
Deathistoonear。Hemustnotstealuponme。ThesefifteenyearsI
havebeenmakingreadyforhim；Iwillmeethimawake。"
FifteenyearsagoherbelovedFranzwassnatchedfromher，insuchsuddenmanner:andeversince，shehasgoneinWidow’sdress；
andhaslookeduponherselfasonewhohaddonewiththeworld。
The18thofeverymonthhasbeenforheradayofsolitaryprayer；
18thofeveryAugust（Franz’sdeath—day）shehasgonedownpunctuallytothevaultsintheStephans—Kirche，andsatbyhiscoffinthere；——lastAugust，somethingbrokeintheapparatusasshedescended；andithaseversincebeenanomentoher。[Hormayr，OEsterreichischerPlutarch，iv。（2tes）94；
Keith，ii。114。]Omennowfulfilled。
Onherdeath，JosephandKaunitz，nowbecomesupreme，launchedabroadintheirambitiousadventureswithlooserein。Schemesofallkinds；includingBavariastill，inspiteofthelatecheck；
forwhichlatter，andforvastprospectsinTurkeyaswell，theyoungKaiserisnowuponacunningmethod，fullofpromisetohim，——thatofingratiatinghimselfwiththeCzarina，andcuttingoutFriedrichinthatquarter。Summer，1780，whiletheKaiserinnstilllived，JosephmadehisfamousFirstVisittotheCzarina（May—
August，1780），[Hermann，vi。132—135。]——notyetforsomeyearshisthrice—famousSecondVisit（thrice—famousCleopatra—voyagewithherdowntheDnieper；dramaturgiccitiesandpopulationskeepingpacewiththemonthebanks，suchthescenicfacultyofRussianOfficials，withPotemkinasstage—manager）:——inthecourseofwhichFirstVisit，stillmoreintheSecond，itiswellknowntheCzarinaandJosephcametoanunderstanding。Littlearticulatedofitasyet；butthemeaningalreadycleartoboth。"Afrankpartnership，highMadam:toyou，fullscopeinyourgloriousnotionofaGreekCapitalandEmpire，Turkquitetrampledaway，ConstantinopleaChristianmetropolisoncemore[andyournextGrandsonaCONSTANTINE，——tobeinreadiness]:whynot，ifImaysharetoo，intheDonauCountries，thatliehandy？Toyou，Isay，anEasternEmpire；tome，aWestern:RevivalofthepooroldRomishReich，sofarasmaybe；andnohindranceuponBavaria，nexttime。HavenotwehadenoughofthatoldFriedrich，whostandsperpetuallyuponSTATUSQUO，andtobothofusisamerestoppageoftheway？"
CzarinaCatharinetookthehint；christenedhernextGrandson"Constantine"（tobeinreadiness）；[ThisistheConstantinewhorenounced，infavorofthelateCzarNicholas；andprovedafailureinregardto"NewGreekEmpire，"andotherwise。]andfromthattimestifflyrefusedrenewingherTreatywithFriedrich；——toFriedrich’sgreatgrief，seeingher，onthecontrary，industrioustoforwardeveryGermanschemeofJoseph’s，Bavarianorother，andforeshadowingtohimselfdismalissuesforPrussiawhenthispresenttermofTreatyshouldexpire。AstoJoseph，hewasbusynightandday，——reallyperiloustoFriedrichandtheindependenceoftheGermanReich。HisyoungBrother，Maximilian，hecontrives，Czarinahelping，togetelectedCo—adjutorofKoln；SuccessorofourLankyFriendthere，tobeKur—Kolnindueseason，andmaketheElectorateofKolnabitofAustriahenceforth。[LengthyandminuteaccountofthatTransaction，inallthestepsofit，inDOHM，i。
295—39。]Thentherecame"PANIS—BRIEFE，"[PANIS（Bread）BRIEFisaLetterwithwhich，inancientcenturies，theKaiserusedtofurnishanoldworn—outServant，addressedtosomeMonastery，someAbbotorPriorineasycircumstances:"BesogoodasprovidethisoldGentlemanwithPanis（Bread，orBoardandLodging）whilehelives。"
VeryprettyinBarbarossa’stime；——butnow——！]——whoknowswhat？——
usurpations，graspingsandpretensionswithoutend:——finally，anopenpretensiontoincorporateBavaria，afterall。Bavaria，notinpartnow，butinwhole:"You，KarlTheodor，injuredman，cannotwegiveyouTerritoryintheNetherlands；aKingthereyoushallbe，andhaveyourvoteasKur—Pfalzstill；onlythink！Inreturnforwhich，Bavariaoursinfee—simple，andsofinishthat？"
KarlTheodorisperfectlywilling，——onlyperhapssomeothersarenot。Thenandthere，thesethreateningcomplexities，nowgonelikeadreamofthenight，werereallylife—perilsfortheKingdomofPrussia；nevertobelostsightofbyaveteranShepherdofthePeople。TheykeptavigilantKingFriedrichcontinuallyonthestretch，andwereastandinglife—problemtohiminthosefinalYears。Problemnearlyinsolubletohumancontrivance；theRussiancardhavingpalpablygoneintotheotherhand。Problemsolved，nevertheless；itisstillrememberedhow。
OnthedevelopmentofthatprettyBavarianProject，thethingbecamepressing；anditiswellknownbywhatastrokeofgeniusFriedrichcheckmatedit；andproducedinsteada"FURSTENBUND，"orgeneral"ConfederationofGermanPrinces，"Prussiaatop，toforbidperemptorilythattheLawsoftheReichbeinfringed。FURSTENBUND:
thisisthevictorioussummitofFriedrich’sPublicHistory，towardswhichallhiseffortstended，duringthesefiveyears:
Friedrich’slastfeatintheworld。Feat，howobsoletenow，——fallensilenteverywhere，exceptinGermanParish—History，andtothestudentsofFriedrich’scharacterinoldage！HadnoresultwhateverinEuropeanHistory；sounexpectedwastheturnthingstook。AFURSTENBUNDwhichwasswallowedbodilywithinfewyears，inthatWorld—ExplosionofDemocracy，andWaroftheGiants；
and——unlessNapoleon’s"ConfederationoftheRhine"wereperhapssometransitoryghostofit？——leftnotevenaghostbehind。
AFURSTENBUNDofwhichwemustsaysomething，whenitsYearcomes；
butobviouslynotmuch。
NoraretheDomesticities，assetforthbyourPrussianauthorities，anopulenttopicforus。Friedrich’sOldAgeisnotunamiable；onthecontrary，IthinkitwouldhavemadeaprettyPicture，hadtherebeenaLimnertotakeit，withtheleastfelicityorphysiognomiccoherency；——astherewasnot。HisLetters，andallthesymptomswehave，denoteasound—heartedbraveoldman；
continuallysubduingtohimselfmanyuglytroubles；and，likethestars，alwayssteadyathiswork。Tositgrievingordespondingis，atalltimes，farfromhim:"Whydespond？Won’titbealldonepresently；isitofmuchmomentwhileitlasts？"Afine，unaffectedlyvigorous，simpleandmanfuloldage；——ratherserenethanotherwise；inspiteofelectricoutburstsandcloudyweatherthatcouldnotbewanting。
Ofallwhichthereisnot，inthisplace，muchmoretobesaid。
Friedrich’selementisitselfwearingdim，sombreofhue；andtherecordsofit，too，seemtogrowdimmer，moreandmoreintermittent。Oldfriends，oftheintellectualkind，arealmostalldead；thenewareoflittlemomenttous，——notworthnamingincomparison，Thechief，perhaps，isacertainyoungMarcheseLucchesini，whocomesaboutthistime，["Chamberlain[titular，withPension，&c。]，9thMay，1780，agethen28"（Preuss，iv。
211）；—arrivedwhenorhowisnotsaid。]andcontinuesinmoreandmorefavorbothwithFriedrichandhisSuccessor，——employedeveninDiplomaticsbythelatter。AnaccomplishedyoungGentleman，fromLucca；offineintelligence，and，whatwasnolessessentialtohimhere，aperfectproprietyinbreedingandcarriage。Onemakesnoacquaintancewithhiminthesestragglingrecords，nordesirestomakeany。Itwashethatbroughttheinane，everscribblingDeninahither，ifthatcanbereckonedamerit。InaneDeninacameasAcademician，October，1782；sawFriedrich，[Rodenbe...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：
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