United States or Estonia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
No one should think that she suffered. No one should pity her, not even the king. Elizabeth Christine joined in all the pleasures and amusements at Rheinsberg. She laughed at Bielfeld's jests, at Pollnitz's bright anecdotes; she listened with beaming eyes to Knobelsdorf's plans for beautifying the king's residence; she took part in the preparations for a drama that was to be performed.
Bielfeld's account, we must candidly say, appears to be an afterthought; but readers can make their profit of it, all the same. As to the Crown-Prince and Princess, words fail to express their gracious perfections, their affabilities, polite ingenuities: Bielfeld's words do give us some pleasant shadowy conceivability of the Crown-Princess:
Of the Giants, or their life at Potsdam, Bielfeld's word is not worth hearing, worth suppressing rather; his knowledge being so small, and hung forth in so fantastic a way. "I saw his Majesty only, as it were, in passing. If I may judge by his Portraits, he must have been of a perfect beauty in his young time; but it must be confessed there is nothing left of it now.
There is no light upon Friedrich to tempt us; better light than Bielfeld's there could have been, and much of it: but he prudently, as well as proudly, forbore such topics. He approaches very near fertility and geniality in his writings, but never reaches it.
How terribly a day stretches out when, with wakeful but wearied eyes, you long for its close! Kaiserling's wit and Chazot's merry humor, where are they? Why is Bielfeld's ringing laugh and the flute of Quantz silenced?
Though Prince Eugene is gone, we shall have to measure our strength against brave soldiers: the greater will be the honor if we can conquer. Adieu, go forth. MASKED BALL, AT BERLIN, 12th-13th DECEMBER. As usual; but this time it has become mentionable in World-History. Bielfeld's pretended date is, "Berlin, 15th December;" should have been 14th, wrong by a day, after one's best effort!
Exaggeration, gesticulation, fantastic uncertainty afflict the reader; and prevent comfortable belief, except where there is other evidence than Bielfeld's. But all is loose far-off sketching, in the style of Anacharsis the Younger; and makes no solid impression.
Confesses he is below the middle size, in fact a tiny little creature, but then his shape is perfect; leg much to be commended, which his Majesty knows, standing always with one leg slightly advanced, and the Order of the Garter on it, that mankind may take notice. Here is Bielfeld's description faithfully abridged:
A peal of laughter resounded through the rooms. An ox! Count Bielfeld's courier had transformed himself into an ox! They all stole back to their seats in confusion, and the reading was recommenced. But it did not last long; again Bielfeld came to a stop. "Pardon me, your highness, but now there is positively a horse on the bridge." Again they all rushed anxiously to the window.
Word Of The Day