admonish. We trace in him some real desire to be wise, to do and
learn what is useful if he can here. But the grand problem, which
is reality itself to him, is always, To regain favor with Papa.
And this, Papa being what he is, gives a twist to all other
problems the young man may have, for they must all shape
themselves by this; and introduces something of artificial,--not
properly of hypocritical, for that too is fatal if found out,--but
of calculated, reticent, of half-sincere, on the Son's part:
an inevitable feature, plentifully visible in their Correspondence
now and henceforth. Corresponding with Papa and his Grumkow, and
watched, at every step, by such an Argus as the
Tobacco-Parliament, real frankness of speech is not quite the
recommendable thing; apparent frankness may be the safer!
Besides mastery in the Domain Sciences, I perceive the
Crown-Prince had to study here another art, useful to him in after
life: the art of wearing among his fellow-creatures a polite
cloak-of-darkness. Gradually he becomes master of it as few are:
a man politely impregnable to the intrusion of human curiosity;
able to look cheerily into the very eyes of men, and talk in a
social way face to face, and yet continue intrinsically invisible
to them. An art no less essential to Royalty than that of the
Domain Sciences itself; and,--if at all consummately done, and
with a scorn of mendacity for help, as in this case,--a difficult
art. It is the chief feature in the Two or Three Thousand LETTERS
we yet have of Friedrich's to all manner of correspondents:
Letters written with the gracefulest flowing rapidity; polite,
affable,--refusing to give you the least glimpse into his real
inner man, or tell you any particular you might impertinently wish
to know.