THE BROTHERS OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.. LITERARY activity in Germany

has been largely directed of late to disinterring historical records out of public and family archives. The mass of documents thus being heaped up acquires dimensions. that may well dismay the future historian. Amongst the most recent contributions, is a volume of letters from Frederick the- Great's brothers. The collection affords no striking revelations, but bespeaks the interest due to vivid illustration of a re- markable period, and of men who had a share in its doings. Im this instance, indeed, the letters given derive almost as much interest from the peculiarities of the persons addressed (though of no conspicuous fame) as of those by whom they were- written. The recipients of the correspondence were in. many respects of characteristic, and in some points of de- cidedly eccentric, natures. They were types of a fibre that mate- rially conduced to the shape into which political problems settled themselves in Prussia, and yet they were marked by individual oddities that produced enduring impressions on those with whom they came into personal contact. The Henckel-Donners- marcks rank in the front line of aristocratic families constituting the picked bodyguard of the Prussian monarchy. Their name is emblazoned on the roll of those identified with the. Prussian State by high places at Court and in the royal house- hold. Yet this close connection with the Hohenzollern personate springs from no ancient alliances, but from relationship con- sequent on the conquest from Austria by Frederick the Great of Silesia. This conquest, however, and still more the effective annexa- tion and rapid fusion with the Prussian monarchy of the newly- won province were mainly facilitated by the sympathetic action of a stern and irrepressible element, that smarted under wrongs. done it by Austrian rule, and saw in the victor's sword the instrument of liberation from cruel persecution. That element was a stubborn Lutheran belief, that defied in its undying. vigour all the ruthless power of fanatical oppression. It was this religious emancipation of a long-suffering body of Protestants from as relentless a thraldom as ever weighed on. any community, which wrought the almost instantaneous assimi- lation of Silesia with the Prussian Crown. Of the nature of this thraldom, of the degree to which family rights and ancestral privileges were grossly violated by a reckless spirit of armed propagandism, the history of the Henekel-Don- nersmarcks affords telling example. Like many noble Silesian. families they embraced at the Reformation the Lutheran, faith, and during generations manfully stood by it. In. conformity with the customary tenures of those times, the house was invested with entailed fiefs, and especially with certain seignorial jurisdictions, which in this instance, as confirmed by ancient charters, devolved always on the eldest member of the. house, and not by lineal descent from father to son. This. long-established mode of succession in the Henekel-Donnersmarck family was wantonly set aside in 1699 by the Emperor Leopold, with the declared purpose of coercing the tenant of family honours into profession of the Catholic faith. At that time there happened to be two brothers, the Counts Leo Ferdi- nand and Charles Maximilian, of whom the former, as senior, enjoyed the seignorial jurisdiction, which on his demise should

have passed to Charles Maximilian. Though himself a Protestant, Leo had married a Catholic, and left behind

him two infant children. These the Emperor arbitrarily put under guardians of his nomination, and caused to be- brought up in the Catholic persuasion. Emphatically did the- staunch Lutheran uncle protest against a proceeding so contrary to hereditary sentiment. His energetic remonstrances were replied to by a yet more flagrant outrage. An Imperial patent. cancelled the ancestral privileges of the Donnersmarck house— created new family rights on a novel basis—and declared tiler prerogative of its seignorial jurisdiction to be thenceforth inseparable from profession of the Catholic faith. Thus. through forcible abduction of Count Leo's children, by arbitrary exercise of Imperial authority, a schism was. effected in the olden Protestant lineage. The stout-hearted., Charles Maximilian indignantly braved the storm of Im- perial resentment, but despite unceasing appeals, was wholly, unable to get justice done him. After his death, the Im- perial authorities went the length of seeking to exact an act of homage to the Catholic line, as the feudal superior, when his Eton, Count Leo Maximilian, under solemn protest reserving all titles * Briefs der Bader Friedrichs des Grossen an tneine Grosseliern. Herausgsgebea von Leo Amadeus, Graf Henckel-Donneremarck. Berlin : F. Schneider and Co. 1877.

and claims, abandoned his home and lived on an estate belonging, in another part of the country, to his wife, until on advent of the rrotestant deliverer (Maria Theresa's wicked man) he was re- stored to the family honours, and after having done fealty to King Frederick, himself received the homage of the Donners- rnarck vassals, in the old family fief of Beuthen. This tale of individual wrongs epitomises political forces of far-reaching consequences, and exemplifies causes which have powerfully contributed to help on the progress of Prussian power in Germany. The three sons of Count Leo Maximilian at once -entered the Prussian army, and fought with the fire of religious animosity against the State from which they had received so much ill- usage.

It is to one of these sons, Victor Amadeus, that a large por- tion of the letters in this volume are addressed, his correspondents being Frederick the Great's three brothers. The remainder were written by the same to his widow, a lady of very remarkable energy, but of decidedly eccentric character. In the course of a protracted life (she died as late as 1843 in Weimar, aged 87), the Countess passed through many trials, and was thrown into many situations of difficulty, but at all times she exhibited an

'extraordinary vigour and quite masculine resolution. Many stories are still afloat as to her odd sayings and doings amongst the survivors from her latter period in Weimar. She was em- phatically a strong-willed and despotic lady, who would have her own way, particularly at home ; but she was also full of a wild humour, and withal possessed of a scholarship at no time common amongst ladies of aristocratic birth, and particularly uncommon in those days. The Countess Donnersmarck, or as she was called in Wei- mar, the old Excellency (Duke Charles Augustus punned thereon by nicknaming her the Hexcellency, Here being the German for witch) loved to read the Classics in the original, her other favourite re- creations being to blow the French horn and to play the fiddle. On the shortest day in the year it was her invariable wont to illu- minate brilliantly her house, and to entertain the whole Weimar society, to drive away black thoughts. A standing joke with her

as to swear that in the next world she would soundly box the tars of Eve for the mischief she had brought on her and her friends, in making them forego the delights of Paradise in consequence of her indiscretion. Indeed the aged Countess was quick, even in this world, at the use of her fists, for it is recorded how one day in a filled drawing-room she received her son with a swingeing slap in the face, because of his having .dared to think of making a choice for himself in marriage. To the present day the Countess's corpse lies deposited in a mortuary chapel which she constructed above ground, as she said that if buried in the earth she might fail to hear the blast of the last trumpet. After her husband's demise, this eccentric lady, who was left with a family and slender means, tame to be selected for the education in St. Petersburg of the Emperor Alexander's sister, the Grand Duchess Marie, after- wards the wife of the Hereditary Prince of Weimar. It was thus that she came to spend the evening of her days in the city of the German Muses,—a privileged individual in many respects, the friend of many eminent personages, treated even by several Royalties almost as an equal, the centre of much lively society, and an object of general respect.

It is well known that Frederick the Great was not on cordial terms with his brothers. These Princes constituted what was called the Opposition party, and during the King's life they and those who connected themselves with them were the objects of scant favour, and often hardly even of bare justice. Count Victor Amadeus Donnersmarck was one of the set on whom the Royal countenance frowned. His first commission had been in the unhappy Prince of Prussia's regiment. Gratitude to his firirt protector made him a staunch adherent to the disgraced Prince, and in consequence he was relegated to an obscure garrison till Frederick's demise, when he was promoted to the governor- ship of Konigsberg. His loyal attachment elicited as warm a sentiment, and the most charming feature in these letters is the affection—it is not too much to call it the brotherly pressed by by the three Princes, but notably so by Prince Henri, It is quite touching to read these genuine effusions of devoted affec- tion to an old comrade-in-arms by a distinguished but superseded soldier, suffering in isolation the bitterness of compulsory retire- ment, while ineptitude was to the fore, and visibly working the ruin of that State he had himself so greatly contributed to rear by his skill in arms. But if the tone of the letters is highly creditable, the same cannot certainly be said of their composition. They are witten in French, but in a French which, as regards grammar and spelling, is an unparalleled curiosity. In those days, indeed, it would seem as if neither the one nor the other were taught to German Princes, but none in that picked body equalled these scions of Prussian royalty in the eccentricities of phonetic scrawling. There are passages with such fantastic combina- tions of letters, that we have had to read them over repeatedly before we succeeded in getting a glimpse of their intended sense. Let the reader unravel for himself this specimen of the Prince of Prussia's style. We will only say that we take the faquin noire to mean the chaplain :— " Repondez all vous plait a Brandt quo le faquin noire de cc regiment ici a esperance davoir une cure, si cela se fait je prendriti le coyon que Susamilch et la Comtesse Schwerin mon recomande' pour ici et le Poete de Brandt cera pour Spando a condition quil madresse jamaia dbde ni quil fasse de disciple Foote dens le regiment car ordinairement la verve poetique est sujet a caution quand il sagit daction de bravoure Voltaire et tents dautre out en du hasten." The writer of these lines was that ill-fated Prince Augustus William who died broken-hearted at the harsh treatment put upon him by the great monarch because on one occasion he had failed of success in the field. With what morti- fication of soul he watched from his banishment the career of his old comrades is touchingly shown in the following, written shortly before his death, a twelvemonth after his disgrace Think not that I am expecting again to see my regiment ; oh no, as long as the King's glorious reign lasts I consider myself expunged from the number of those who contribute to the increase of his military reputation ' • perhaps I have lost the opportunity of establishing mine, or perhaps fate has favoured me in withdrawing me from the occasion when I should have displayed all my ignorance and incapacity ; lot that be as you like, here I am in retirement, wherewith I put up perfectly; sometimes I still think of the disgrace of being thus banished and shelved, but having the conviction that the fault is not on my side,!

blow it to the winds Good-bye ; do not let your exploits make you forgot a poor hero like your William. What do the officers of my regiment say P" The most important portion of the volume is made up of letters from Prince Henri, that eminent soldier of whom Frederick himself admitted that, alone amongst his Generals, he never had made a mistake. He survived till 1802, and in these confidential outpourings to an old friend there is strik- ing testimony to the ineffable disgust with which this vigorous Prince viewed the tissue of crapulousness and mysticism in fashion at the Court of the Great Frederick's successor, and the contempt with which he looked upon the in- competent hands which directed to such disastrous results military operations under King Frederick William, nicknamed "the Fat."

"'Amongst artichokes and moles,' the Prince wrote, with °horse- teristie sarcasm, from his retreat at Rheinsberg, in December, 1791, 'the word "glory "line no business to strike the ear ; you always have that of having done everything to deserve the same ; but if it be a question of laurels, palms, and myrtles, I answer that it is quite pos- sible to lose what others have won, but that never will any be gathered. Luckily hero I ignore the existence of Berlin, Potsdam, Frederick William, of King Bischoffswerder and King Wkillner, and of the sisters consecrated in divinity who have been set up in Berlin, and are to introduce the new dogma, but whom at all mo- ments one would give a kick from behind to. Good-bye, my dear friend; as long as I live liberty shall be my master. The rest I care not a fig for. Don't forgot the o!d comrade of our arms ; but you do not live, to his mind, as of old, for glory,--f or glory. However, still scratching my old thighs, I am for life and death, ever yours, —Mona. Pardon this

latter; not in the style of two Excellencies writing to one another. For you, who are in service, dignity is requisite, but for me, who am nothing—not oven an 1 lhanind—I can drivel on as I like. I embrace you.'"

And here, again, is the caustic appreciation by this veteran soldier of the military value of the monarch who saw fit to exhibit him- self at the head of the Prussian battalions, and of the plan on which the campaign was carried out against Republican France :—

" A campaign speculatively evolved out of human fancy could not possibly be successful. Remember what I wrote to you in reference to France; you will think, perhaps, I am exaggerating, but it is true that next year they will have 800,000 men on foot ; that mass of beings is terrible ; four times could one beat 50,000 men, and yet would one be overwhelmed, without having won anything. Set a sack of wool behind a battalion, put on it a crown, and lot it be under the enemy's tiro, you will adinit that the battalion—and still less, the army—will derive no benefit from having the seek behind them. Make your own application of this. This is my reply to the article in your letter. Of the success of the campaign I have had a very bud opinion. First, the mani- festoes spoilt everything ; second, to go to 'Paris, and leave fortresses and corps d'arm6es at one's back was a folly which ended in famine; once at Verdun, it was impossible any longer to doubt that all opinions were united, no one declaring for the Princes; one knew by experience how difficult it was to marsh on roads destroyed by the inclemency of the season, yet nevertheless one moves away from Verdun, with countless difficulty one traverses the defile of Clairmontoy, and arrives in presence of a well-posted army, without the means of dragging cannon, the army exhausted, two days without broad, soaked to the bones ; one cannonades away, and the cannonade about which so much noise is made coats in killed and wounded 140 men ; one begins to negotiate, how happy at being able in this interval to make an arrangement for retreat! all the chiefs are like cat and dog, ready to bite each other, each giving blame to the other. There arc regiments that have lost three officers, the King has lost some of his servants ; it is just like the late King's army in Bohemia, where quarrelling was epidemic. I do not know the number of the dead, but there are twelve thousand in the hospitals, the artillery is at Luxemburg, a dearth of horses, a portion of the cavalry is on foot. Meanwhile, Custine has taken Mayenee and Frankfort ; news to-day (but not yet positive) says that he has taken Hanau. Dinner is ready ; I have lots of people, so must leave you. Adieu, my dear Henckel; forget not your best of friends."

This is the last letter in the collection to Count Victor Amadeus, who died a few weeks later. The affections of his royal friend did not, however, terminate at the grave. We have here a series of letters to the Count's widow, which are more than the expres- sion of customary condolence and ordinary interest. As already mentioned, the Count's circumstances were straightened, so that his family was poorly provided for. Prince Henri evinced the solicitude of a parent for the care and education of his friend's son. He not merely took on himself the cost of the boy's edu- cation, but his letters show him to have entered into every detail relating to his maintenance with a watchfulness • that could not have been exceeded by the most doting father. These letters are touching records of that real friendship which does not evaporate in words, but unostentatiously sets about giving practical help ; and it is right to mention that, on Prince Henri's death, his surviving brother, Prince Ferdinand,

continued to extend the same kindly interest, as a sacred legacy that had devolved on him.

Our notice has already been too long to give any further illustrations on this head. One short extract alone we must still insert. It refers to totally different matters from what has been touched on before, but the sentiment here ex- pressed is curiously illustrative of that specially French taste in letters which possessed generally German Princes of distinction at that period—none more than the Great Frederick—and which, as a rule, made them so remarkably insensible to the awakening manifestations of German genius in literature and in art. Writing

from his favourite castle of Rheinsberg to the widowed Countess, Prince Henri informs her that "last Friday a piece of church music

by Mozart was performed ; many people were in ecstasies thereat. Between you and me, I will tell you that I found it abominable ; the music exactly resembles that which Crispin depicts to the melomaniacs,—an infernal, frenzied music, where nothing is want-

ing but the cannon, all the instruments making a hellish noise. rt is said to be all very learned. In that case, I replied, it is like Klopstock's Munich,' which is considered admirable, but is understood by no one." And yet the work which these men— Prince Henri and the Great Frederick—were really doing was to build up vigorously a world which was to be filled with spirits of this unintelligible stamp, to the expulsion of all divinities

shining with that French polish which, in Prince Henri's eyes, was the sublime essence of genuine culture.