Frederic，surnamedtheGreat，sonofFredericWilliam，wasborninJanuary1712。Itmaysafelybepronouncedthathehadreceivedfromnatureastrongandsharpunderstanding，andararefirmnessoftemperandintensityofwill。Astotheotherpartsofhischaracter，itisdifficulttosaywhethertheyaretobeascribedtonature，ortothestrangetrainingwhichheunderwent。Thehistoryofhisboyhoodispainfullyinteresting。OliverTwistintheparishworkhouse，SmikeatDotheboysHall，werepettedchildrenwhencomparedwiththisheirapparentofacrown。ThenatureofFredericWilliamwashardandbad，andthehabitofexercisingarbitrarypowerhadmadehimfrightfullysavage。Hisrageconstantlyventeditselftorightandleftincursesandblows。WhenhisMajestytookawalk，everyhumanbeingfledbeforehim，asifatigerhadbrokenloosefromamenagerie。Ifhemetaladyinthestreet，hegaveherakick，andtoldhertogohomeandmindherbrats。Ifhesawaclergymanstaringatthesoldiers，headmonishedthereverendgentlemantobetakehimselftostudyandprayer，andenforcedthispiousadvicebyasoundcaning，administeredonthespot。Butitwasinhisownhousethathewasmostunreasonableandferocious。Hispalacewashell，andhethemostexecrableoffiends，acrossbetweenMolochandPuck。HissonFredericandhisdaughterWilhelmina，afterwardsMargravineofBareuth，wereinanespecialmannerobjectsofhisaversion。Hisownmindwasuncultivated。Hedespisedliterature。
Hehatedinfidels，papists，andmetaphysicians，anddidnotverywellunderstandinwhattheydifferedfromeachother。Thebusinessoflife，accordingtohim，wastodrillandtobedrilled。Therecreationssuitedtoaprince，weretositinacloudoftobaccosmoke，tosipSwedishbeerbetweenthepuffsofthepipe，toplaybackgammonforthreehalfpencearubber，tokillwildhogs，andtoshootpartridgesbythethousand。ThePrinceRoyalshowedlittleinclinationeitherfortheseriousemploymentsorfortheamusementsofhisfather。Heshirkedthedutiesoftheparade;hedetestedthefumeoftobacco;hehadnotasteeitherforbackgammonorforfieldsports。Hehadanexquisiteear，andperformedskilfullyontheflute。HisearliestinstructorshadbeenFrenchrefugees，andtheyhadawakenedinhimastrongpassionforFrenchliteratureandFrenchsociety。
FredericWilliamregardedthesetastesaseffeminateandcontemptible，and，byabuseandpersecution，madethemstillstronger。ThingsbecameworsewhenthePrinceRoyalattainedthattimeoflifeatwhichthegreatrevolutioninthehumanmindandbodytakesplace。Hewasguiltyofsomeyouthfulindiscretions，whichnogoodandwiseparentwouldregardwithseverity。Atalaterperiodhewasaccused，trulyorfalsely，ofvicesfromwhichHistoryavertshereyes，andwhichevenSatireblushestoname，vicessuchthat，toborrowtheenergeticlanguageofLordKeeperCoventry，"thedepravednatureofman，whichofitselfcarriethmantoallothersin，abhorreththem。"Buttheoffencesofhisyouthwerenotcharacterisedbyanypeculiarturpitude。
Theyexcited，however，transportsofrageintheKing，whohatedallfaultsexceptthosetowhichhewashimselfinclined，andwhoconceivedthathemadeampleatonementtoHeavenforhisbrutality，byholdingthesofterpassionsindetestation。ThePrinceRoyal，too，wasnotoneofthosewhoarecontenttotaketheirreligionontrust。Heaskedpuzzlingquestions，andbroughtforwardargumentswhichseemedtosavourofsomethingdifferentfrompureLutheranism。TheKingsuspectedthathissonwasinclinedtobeahereticofsomesortorother，whetherCalvinistorAtheisthisMajestydidnotverywellknow。TheordinarymalignityofFredericWilliamwasbadenough。HenowthoughtmalignityapartofhisdutyasaChristianman，andalltheconsciencethathehadstimulatedhishatred。Theflutewasbroken:theFrenchbooksweresentoutofthepalace:thePrincewaskickedandcudgelled，andpulledbythehair。Atdinnertheplateswerehurledathishead:sometimeshewasrestrictedtobreadandwater:sometimeshewasforcedtoswallowfoodsonauseousthathecouldnotkeepitonhisstomach。Oncehisfatherknockedhimdown，draggedhimalongthefloortoawindow，andwaswithdifficultypreventedfromstranglinghimwiththecordofthecurtain。TheQueen，forthecrimeofnotwishingtoseehersonmurdered，wassubjectedtothegrossestindignities。
ThePrincessWilhelmina，whotookherbrother’spart，wastreatedalmostasillasMrs。Brownrigg’sapprentices。Driventodespair，theunhappyyouthtriedtorunaway。Thenthefuryoftheoldtyrantrosetomadness。ThePrincewasanofficerinthearmy:
hisflightwasthereforedesertion;and，inthemoralcodeofFredericWilliam，desertionwasthehighestofallcrimes。
"Desertion，"saysthisroyaltheologian，inoneofhishalf—crazyletters，"isfromhell。ItisaworkofthechildrenoftheDevil。NochildofGodcouldpossiblybeguiltyofit。"AnaccompliceofthePrince，inspiteoftherecommendationofacourtmartial，wasmercilesslyputtodeath。ItseemedprobablethatthePrincehimselfwouldsufferthesamefate。ItwaswithdifficultythattheintercessionoftheStatesofHolland，oftheKingsofSwedenandPoland，andoftheEmperorofGermany，savedtheHouseofBrandenburgfromthestainofanunnaturalmurder。
Aftermonthsofcruelsuspense，Fredericlearnedthathislifewouldbespared。Heremained，however，longaprisoner;buthewasnotonthataccounttobepitied。Hefoundinhisgaolersatendernesswhichhehadneverfoundinhisfather;histablewasnotsumptuous，buthehadwholesomefoodinsufficientquantitytoappeasehunger:hecouldreadtheHenriadewithoutbeingkicked，andcouldplayonhisflutewithouthavingitbrokenoverhishead。
Whenhisconfinementterminatedhewasaman。Hehadnearlycompletedhistwenty—firstyear，andcouldscarcelybekeptmuchlongerundertherestraintswhichhadmadehisboyhoodmiserable。
Sufferinghadmaturedhisunderstanding，whileithadhardenedhisheartandsouredhistemper。Hehadlearntself—commandanddissimulation;heaffectedtoconformtosomeofhisfather’sviews，andsubmissivelyacceptedawife，whowasawifeonlyinname，fromhisfather’shand。Healsoservedwithcredit，thoughwithoutanyopportunityofacquiringbrilliantdistinction，underthecommandofPrinceEugene，duringacampaignmarkedbynoextraordinaryevents。Hewasnowpermittedtokeepaseparateestablishment，andwasthereforeabletoindulgewithcautionhisowntastes。PartlyinordertoconciliatetheKing，andpartly，nodoubt，frominclination，hegaveupaportionofhistimetomilitaryandpoliticalbusiness，andthusgraduallyacquiredsuchanaptitudeforaffairsashismostintimateassociateswerenotawarethathepossessed。
HisfavouriteabodewasatRheinsberg，nearthefrontierwhichseparatesthePrussiandominionsfromtheDuchyofMecklenburg。
Rheinsberg，isafertileandsmilingspot，inthemidstofthesandywasteoftheMarquisate。Themansion，surroundedbywoodsofoakandbeech，looksoutuponaspaciouslake。ThereFredericamusedhimselfbylayingoutgardensinregularalleysandintricatemazes，bybuildingobelisks，temples，andconservatories，andbycollectingrarefruitsandflowers。Hisretirementwasenlivenedbyafewcompanions，amongwhomheseemstohavepreferredthosewho，bybirthorextraction，wereFrench。
Withtheseintimateshedinedandsuppedwell，drankfreely，andamusedhimselfsometimeswithconcerts，andsometimeswithholdingchaptersofafraternitywhichhecalledtheOrderofBayard;butliteraturewashischiefresource。
HiseducationhadbeenentirelyFrench。ThelongascendencywhichLewistheFourteenthhadenjoyed，andtheeminentmeritofthetragicandcomicdramatists，ofthesatirists，andofthepreacherswhohadflourishedunderthatmagnificentprince，hadmadetheFrenchlanguagepredominantinEurope。Evenincountrieswhichhadanationalliterature，andwhichcouldboastofnamesgreaterthanthoseofRacine，ofMoliere，andofMassillon，inthecountryofDante，inthecountryofCervantes，inthecountryofShakspeareandMilton，theintellectualfashionsofParishadbeentoagreatextentadopted。Germanyhadnotyetproducedasinglemasterpieceofpoetryoreloquence。InGermany，therefore，theFrenchtastereignedwithoutrivalandwithoutlimit。EveryyouthofrankwastaughttospeakandwriteFrench。Thatheshouldspeakandwritehisowntonguewithpoliteness，orevenwithaccuracyandfacility，wasregardedascomparativelyanunimportantobject。EvenFredericWilliam，withallhisruggedSaxonprejudices，thoughtitnecessarythathischildrenshouldknowFrench，andquiteunnecessarythattheyshouldbewellversedinGerman。TheLatinwaspositivelyinterdicted。"Myson，"
hisMajestywrote，"shallnotlearnLatin;and，morethanthat，I
willnotsufferanybodyeventomentionsuchathingtome。"OneofthepreceptorsventuredtoreadtheGoldenBullintheoriginalwiththePrinceRoyal。FredericWilliamenteredtheroom，andbrokeoutinhisusualkinglystyle。
"Rascal，whatareyouatthere？"
"PleaseyourMajesty，"answeredthepreceptor，"IwasexplainingtheGoldenBulltohisRoyalHighness。"
"I’llGoldenBullyou，yourascal！roaredtheMajestyofPrussia。
UpwenttheKing’scaneawayrantheterrifiedinstructor;andFrederic’sclassicalstudiesendedforever。HenowandthenaffectedtoquoteLatinsentences，andproducedsuchexquisitelyCiceronianphrasesasthese:"Stantepedemorire"——"Degustibusnonestdisputandus，"——"Totverbastotspondera。"OfItalian，hehadnotenoughtoreadapageofMetastasiowithease;andoftheSpanishandEnglish，hedidnot，asfarasweareaware，understandasingleword。
AsthehighesthumancompositionstowhichhehadaccesswerethoseoftheFrenchwriters，itisnotstrangethathisadmirationforthosewritersshouldhavebeenunbounded。Hisambitiousandeagertemperearlypromptedhimtoimitatewhatheadmired。Thewish，perhaps，dearesttohisheartwas，thathemightrankamongthemastersofFrenchrhetoricandpoetry。HewroteproseandverseasindefatigablyasifhehadbeenastarvinghackofCaveorOsborn;butNature，whichhadbestowedonhim，inalargemeasure，thetalentsofacaptainandofanadministrator，hadwithheldfromhimthosehigherandrarergifts，withoutwhichindustrylaboursinvaintoproduceimmortaleloquenceandsong。And，indeed，hadhebeenblessedwithmoreimagination，wit，andfertilityofthought，thanheappearstohavehad，hewouldstillhavebeensubjecttoonegreatdisadvantage，whichwould，inallprobability，haveforeverpreventedhimfromtakingahighplaceamongmenofletters。Hehadnotthefullcommandofanylanguage。Therewasnomachineofthoughtwhichhecouldemploywithperfectease，confidence，andfreedom。HehadGermanenoughtoscoldhisservants，ortogivethewordofcommandtohisgrenadiers;buthisgrammarandpronunciationwereextremelybad。HefounditdifficulttomakeoutthemeaningevenofthesimplestGermanpoetry。OnoneoccasionaversionofRacine’sIphigeniewasreadtohim。HeheldtheFrenchoriginalinhishand;butwasforcedtoownthat，evenwithsuchhelp，hecouldnotunderstandthetranslation。
Yet，thoughhehadneglectedhismothertongueinordertobestowallhisattentiononFrench，hisFrenchwas，afterall，theFrenchofaforeigner。ItwasnecessaryforhimtohavealwaysathisbecksomemenoflettersfromParistopointoutthesolecismsandfalserhymesofwhich，tothelast，hewasfrequentlyguilty。Evenhadhepossessedthepoeticfaculty，ofwhich，asfaraswecanjudge，hewasutterlydestitute，thewantofalanguagewouldhavepreventedhimfrombeingagreatpoet。
Nonobleworkofimagination，asfaraswerecollect，wasevercomposedbyanyman，exceptinadialectwhichhehadlearnedwithoutrememberinghoworwhen，andwhichhehadspokenwithperfecteasebeforehehadeveranalyseditsstructure。RomansofgreatabilitieswroteGreekverses;buthowmanyofthoseverseshavedeservedtolive？Manymenofeminentgeniushave，inmoderntimes，writtenLatinpoems;but，asfarasweareaware，noneofthosepoems，notevenMilton’s，canberankedinthefirstclassofart，orevenveryhighinthesecond。Itisnotstrange，therefore，that，intheFrenchversesofFrederic，wecanfindnothingbeyondthereachofanymanofgoodpartsandindustry，nothingabovethelevelofNewdigateandSeatonianpoetry。HisbestpiecesmayperhapsrankwiththeworstinDodsley’scollection。Inhistory，hesucceededbetter。Wedonot，indeed，find，inanyofhisvoluminousMemoirs，eitherdeepreflectionorvividpainting。Butthenarrativeisdistinguishedbyclearness，conciseness，goodsense，andacertainairoftruthandsimplicity，whichissingularlygracefulinamanwho，havingdonegreatthings，sitsdowntorelatethem。Onthewhole，however，noneofhiswritingsaresoagreeabletousashisLetters，particularlythosewhicharewrittenwithearnestness，andarenotembroideredwithverses。
Itisnotstrangethatayoungmandevotedtoliterature，andacquaintedonlywiththeliteratureofFrance，shouldhavelookedwithprofoundvenerationonthegeniusofVoltaire。"Amanwhohasneverseenthesun，"saysCalderon，inoneofhischarmingcomedies，"cannotbeblamedforthinkingthatnoglorycanexceedthatofthemoon。Amanwhohasseenneithermoonnorsun，cannotbeblamedfortalkingoftheunrivalledbrightnessofthemorningstar。"HadFredericbeenabletoreadHomerandMiltonorevenVirgilandTasso，hisadmirationoftheHenriadewouldprovethathewasutterlydestituteofthepowerofdiscerningwhatisexcellentinart。HadhebeenfamiliarwithSophoclesorShakspeare，weshouldhaveexpectedhimtoappreciateZairemorejustly。HadhebeenabletostudyThucydidesandTacitusintheoriginalGreekandLatin，hewouldhaveknownthattherewereheightsintheeloquenceofhistoryfarbeyondthereachoftheauthoroftheLifeofCharlestheTwelfth。Butthefinestheroicpoem，severalofthemostpowerfultragedies，andthemostbrilliantandpicturesquehistoricalworkthatFrederichadeverread，wereVoltaire’s。SuchhighandvariousexcellencemovedtheyoungPrincealmosttoadoration。TheopinionsofVoltaireonreligiousandphilosophicalquestionshadnotyetbeenfullyexhibitedtothepublic。Atalaterperiod，whenanexilefromhiscountry，andatopenwarwiththeChurch，hespokeout。ButwhenFredericwasatRheinsberg，Voltairewasstillacourtier;
and，thoughhecouldnotalwayscurbhispetulantwit，hehadasyetpublishednothingthatcouldexcludehimfromVersailles，andlittlethatadivineofthemildandgenerousschoolofGrotiusandTillotsonmightnotreadwithpleasure。IntheHenriade，inZaire，andinAlzire，Christianpietyisexhibitedinthemostamiableform;and，someyearsaftertheperiodofwhichwearewriting，aPopecondescendedtoacceptthededicationofMahomet。
Therealsentimentsofthepoet，however，mightbeclearlyperceivedbyakeeneyethroughthedecentdisguisewithwhichheveiledthem，andcouldnotescapethesagacityofFrederic，whoheldsimilaropinions，andhadbeenaccustomedtopractisesimilardissimulation。
ThePrincewrotetohisidolinthestyleofaworshipper;andVoltairerepliedwithexquisitegraceandaddress。A
correspondencefollowed，whichmaybestudiedwithadvantagebythosewhowishtobecomeproficientsintheignobleartofflattery。NomaneverpaidcomplimentsbetterthanVoltaire。Hissweetestconfectioneryhadalwaysadelicate，yetstimulatingflavour，whichwasdelightfultopalatesweariedbythecoarsepreparationsofinferiorartists。Itwasonlyfromhishandthatsomuchsugarcouldbeswallowedwithoutmakingtheswallowersick。Copiesofverses，writing—desks，trinketsofamber，wereexchangedbetweenthefriends。FredericconfidedhiswritingstoVoltaire;andVoltaireapplauded，asifFrederichadbeenRacineandBossuetinone。OneofhisRoyalHighness’sperformanceswasarefutationofMachiavelli。Voltaireundertooktoconveyittothepress。ItwasentitledtheAnti—Machiavel，andwasanedifyinghomilyagainstrapacity，perfidy，arbitrarygovernment，unjustwar，inshort，againstalmostev...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：