Carlyle's "History of Friedrich II of Prussia"




BOOK VIII.

CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED: LIFE AT CUSTRIN.

November, 1730-February, 1732.

Chapter I.

CHAPLAIN MULLER WAITS ON THE CROWN-PRINCE.

Friedrich's feelings at this juncture are not made known to us by
himself in the least; or credibly by others in any considerable
degree. As indeed in these confused Prussian History-Books,
copulent in nugatory pedantisms and learned marine-stores, all
that is human remains distressingly obscure to us; so seldom, and
then only as through endless clouds of ever-whirling idle dust,
can we catch the smallest direct feature of the young man, and of
his real demeanor or meaning, on the present or other occasions!
But it is evident this last phenomenon fell upon him like an
overwhelming cataract; crushed him down under the immensity of
sorrow, confusion and despair; his own death not a theory now, but
probably a near fact,--a welcome one in wild moments, and then
anon so unwelcome. Frustrate, bankrupt, chargeable with a friend's
lost life, sure enough he, for one, is: what is to become of him?
Whither is he to turn, thoroughly beaten, foiled in all his