登陆注册
14812200000157

第157章

Byng's Sea-fight, done with due dexterity of manoeuvring, and then with due emphasis of broadsiding, decisive of that absurd War, and almost the one creditable action in it, dates itself 10th August, 1718. And about three months later, on the mimic stage at Paris there came out a piece, OEDIPE the title of it, [18th November, 1718.] by one Francois Arouet, a young gentleman about twenty-two;and had such a run as seldom was;--apprising the French Populations that, to all appearance, a new man of genius had appeared among them (not intimating what work he would do);and greatly angering old M. Arouet of the Chamber of Accouuts;who thereby found his Son as good as cast into the whirlpools, and a solid Law-career thenceforth impossible for the young fool.--The name of that "M. Arouet junior" changes itself, some years hence, into M. DE VOLTAIRE; under which latter designation he will conspicuously reappear in this Narrative.

And now we will go to our little Crown-Prince again;--ignorant, he, of all this that is mounting up in the distance, and that it will envelop him one day.

Chapter XI.

ON THE CROWN-PRINCE'S PROGRESS IN HIS SCHOOLING.

Wilhelmina says, [<italic> Memoires, <end italic> i. 22.] her Brother was "slow" in learning: we may presume, she means idle, volatile, not always prompt in fixing his attention to what did not interest him. Moreover, he was often weakly in health, as she herself adds; so that exertion was not recommendable for him.

Herr von Loen (a witty Prussian Official, and famed man-of-letters once, though forgotten now) testifies expressly that the Boy was of bright parts, and that he made rapid progress. "The Crown-Prince manifests in this tender age [his seventh year] an uncommon capacity; nay we may say, something quite extraordinary (<italic> etwas ganz Ausserordentliches <end italic>). He is a most alert and vivacious Prince; he has fine and sprightly manners; and shows a certain kindly sociality, and so affectionate a disposition that all things may be hoped of him. The French Lady who [under Roucoulles] has had charge of his learning hitherto, cannot speak of him without enthusiasm. <italic> 'C'est un esprit ange'lique <end italic> (a little angel),' she is wont to say.

He takes up, and learns, whatever is put before him, with the greatest facility." [Van Loen, <italic> Kleine Schriften, <end italic> ii. 27 (as cited in Rodenbeck, No. iv. 479).]

For the rest, that Friedrich Wilhelm's intentions and Rhadamanthine regulations, in regard to him, were fulfilled in every point, we will by no means affirm. Rules of such exceeding preciseness, if grounded here and there only on the SIC-VOLO, how could they be always kept, except on the surface and to the eye merely? The good Duhan, diligent to open his pupil's mind, and give Nature fair-play, had practically found it inexpedient to tie him too rigorously to the arbitrary formal departments where no natural curiosity, but only order from without, urges the ingenious pupil. What maximum strictness in school-drill there can have been, we may infer from one thing, were there no other:

the ingenious Pupil's mode of SPELLING. Fritz learned to write a fine, free-flowing, rapid and legible business-hand; "Arithmetic"too, "Geography," and many other Useful Knowledges that had some geniality of character, or attractiveness in practice, were among his acquisitions; much, very much he learned in the course of his life; but to SPELL, much more to punctuate, and subdue the higher mysteries of Grammar to himself, was always an unachievable perfection. He did improve somewhat in after life; but here is the length to which he had carried that necessary art in the course of nine years' exertion, under Duhan and the subsidiary preceptors;it is in the following words and alphabetic letters that he gratefully bids Duhan farewell,--who surely cannot have been a very strict drill-sergeant in the arbitrary branches of schooling!

"Mon cher Duhan Je Vous promais (PROMETS) que quand j'aurez (J'AURAI) mon propre argent en main, je Vous donnerez (DONNERAI)enuelement (ANNUELLEMENT) 2400 ecu (ECUS) par an, et je vous aimerais (AIMERAI) toujour encor (TOUJORS ENCORE) un peu plus q'asteure (QU'A CETTE HEURE) s'il me l'est (M'EST) posible (POSSIBLE).""MY DEAR DUHAN,--I promise to you, that when I shall have my money in my own hands, I will give you annually 2400 crowns [say 350pounds] EVERY YEAR; and that I will love you always even a little more than at present, if that be possible.

"FRIDERIC P.R. [Prince-Royal]."

"POTSDAM, le 20 de juin, 1727." [Preuss, i. 22.]

The Document has otherwise its beauty; but such is the spelling of it. In fact his Grammar, as he would himself now and then regretfully discern, in riper years, with some transient attempt or resolution to remedy or help it, seems to have come mainly by nature; so likewise his "STYLUS" both in French and German,--a very fair style, too, in the former dialect:--but as to his spelling, let him try as he liked, he never came within sight of perfection.

The things ordered with such rigorous minuteness, if but arbitrary things, were apt to be neglected; the things forbidden, especially in the like case, were apt to become doubly tempting. It appears, the prohibition of Latin gave rise to various attempts, on the part of Friedrich, to attain that desirable Language.

Secret lessons, not from Duhan, but no doubt with Duhan's connivance, were from time to time undertaken with this view:

once, it is recorded, the vigilant Friedrich Wilhelm, going his rounds, came upon Fritz and one of his Preceptors (not Duhan but a subaltern) actually engaged in this illicit employment.

Friedrich himself was wont to relate this anecdote in after 1ife.

同类推荐
  • 律学发轫

    律学发轫

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 无锡县志

    无锡县志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说离垢施女经

    佛说离垢施女经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Chamber Music

    Chamber Music

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 粉妆楼

    粉妆楼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 名侦探柯南之夫人一笑好惊悚

    名侦探柯南之夫人一笑好惊悚

    【新书已发《犬夜叉:总有犬妖想泡我》】苏忆灵此生最大的愿望就是成为怪盗基德的夫人,于是,她就努力地跟着工藤新一瞎逛哒,努力地在黑羽快斗面前刷好感,努力地坑怪盗基德......咳咳,她刚刚什么也没说。黑羽快斗此生最大的愿望就是把苏忆灵拐回家,但是情敌太多肿么办?于是,他摇身一变成为苏忆灵的男神,努力地在苏忆灵面前耍帅,,努力地一点一点吃掉她......咳咳,他什么也没说。
  • 始于微末

    始于微末

    金钱,女人,权利,自由,幸福,尊严,生命,这是我追求的。一个不一样的魔幻乱世,一个不一样的穿越主角。英雄始于微末,蝼蚁亦可吞天。且看任亦云如何使用游戏金手指,从这世界的最底层向上爬去。
  • 黑鸟飞

    黑鸟飞

    在一座本不存在的名叫双喜的与世隔绝的岛屿上,生活着这么一群不为外界所知的人。他们生性善良,乐于嘲讽;他们为人老实,衷于算计;他们贪得无厌,易于满足;他们谦虚谨慎,善于虚伪。他们乐于将心中的真、善掩藏起来,转而是将嘲弄他人当成了一种乐趣。故事讲述着一群有着崇高理想追求的青年人,他们情感丰富炽热,渴望着真正自由生活。主人公生性善良,悲天悯人。他向往着人性之美;他渴望着纯粹幸福的世界;他憎恨虚伪的人性;他厌恶麻木不仁之人怯弱。当暴风雨给他带来未知世界的使者,听他讲述岛外的人人平等、人性闪耀着光辉的更加幸福的世界,又会炸出怎样的火花?而当亲人、朋友又相继离世,这个故事又该怎样写呢?······
  • 烁星的轨迹

    烁星的轨迹

    烁夜彗星,每隔七十二年,就会经过地球,洒下大量的微分子,这种微分子会改写人类本身,产生一种特殊的效应,这种效应只在二十岁以下的人身上出现。高霖,一个隐藏在校园内的杀手,作为最强的能力拥有着,’掌控‘又会有怎样的故事呢?
  • 昭昭

    昭昭

    昭昭,明也。所有的事,我原以为光明磊落,无怨无悔,却逃不过命运的作弄与取笑。天地不可信,山川不可信,夏小正还是要信的。可是信的太深,却忘了真。昭昭之心,昭然若揭,爱恨嗔痴,凭君断论。
  • 魅仙惊华

    魅仙惊华

    五大修仙世家之一的赫连家,怀璧其罪,一朝之间,满门修士尽被屠戮。举族之中,只余一十岁废柴女童逃出生天。师傅因此谓琼紫曰:“世间修士,俱都功利毒辣之辈!”琼紫点头,“师傅所言甚是!”扭头看身边某冷峻依旧、酷霸不减的男人,嘴角微抽,这只更是其中翘楚。********************************已有百万完结文《重生妖魅横行》,坑品有保证,欢迎新老读者点击、阅读、收藏、订阅~
  • 未来无限可能:林书豪给你的10堂人生启示课

    未来无限可能:林书豪给你的10堂人生启示课

    “林书豪的崛起是一个伟大的传奇故事,这甚至已经超越了体育本身的意义”。美国总统奥巴马这样评价林书豪的疯狂表现所带来的“linsanity”。林书豪的崛起当代最好的励志故事,我们可以从他身上看到很多成功人士的特质,从他的身上发现值得自己效仿的闪光点,每一个年轻人都可以从他的经历中看到自己成功的希望。
  • 怀孕分娩全知道

    怀孕分娩全知道

    《怀孕分娩全知道》不但能给孕妈妈最及时的指导,使其了解孕育的全过程,解答孕期遇到的疑难问题,还能够让孕妈妈体会到孕育的快乐。《怀孕分娩全知道》是所有准备或已经怀孕的妈妈科学孕育健康宝宝、顺利分娩的首选指南!
  • 千里寻君,影帝大神么么哒

    千里寻君,影帝大神么么哒

    何曲伊失忆了,选择性失忆症,变成三等残疾的她表示要去寻找记忆。虾米?刚刚跳完伞,就让她去写小说?于是收到消息的某男神一路砍砍砍,送她到了NO.2。第一在哪里?数钱钞的何曲伊四处张望无果,老【企】老【图】实【闹】实【翻】的【天】继续写找记忆。爹娘送她去演艺圈,可老娘是文科生!抗争无效靠着记忆混了个影后,表示心累,只想追男神。“男神,男神,你渴不渴,饿不饿啊”某狗腿女。“嗯,是饿了,你要负责把我喂饱……”某男神慵懒的看,向,她。【本文是个伪装性重生文,前为作家,后以影视。不喜勿喷】
  • 超越:董克仁杂文集

    超越:董克仁杂文集

    古时候,人们与自然作斗争的能力很低,为了趋利避祸,在取名时爱挑些吉利的字眼。汉代及以前,有“无忌、无咎、弃疾、去病”一类的命名,也有仰慕历史上的忠臣良将而尽量选些相近或相同的字眼,如汉高祖的第一谋士张良,后来便有姓张的取“学良、效良、忠良、新良”之类的名字。