Frederick the Great discussion post 12

[cahn]

Every time I am amazed and enchanted that this is still going on! Truly DW is the Earthly Paradise!

All the good stuff continues to be archived at rheinsberg :)

Comments

Re: Poniatowski - My (Not Yet Problematic) Austrian Fave(s)

[selenak]

A passage about MT's first minister Kaunitz, aka the one who hit on the idea of the Diplomatic Revolution, leading into a passage about MT

It can be regarded as one of the great qualities of Maria Theresia's character and government that she knew how to esteem Herr von Kaunitz rightly and to put him into the correct position, on her own initiative and despite of all the voices talking against him, and that she has kept him there, without him having tried in particular to win the favour of his fellow noblemen; nor did he fake a hypocritical devotion in order to keep the favour of his pious princess. She tried a few times to make him feel her displeasure at him keeping actresses as mistresses. He replied: I have to give my Empress and Queen account regarding my attitude as her minister, as her subject, but in no other way. If my princess is not content with my service, I will gladly give up my work and business and withdraw to my estate of Rietberg."

Such a reply would have caused Madame de Maintenon - mistress and morganatic wife of Louis XIV, very pious - to throw out whoever gave it. Herr von Kaunitz even has allowed himself to ignore courtly etiquette; to the officers who pointed this out to him because they thought he had simply forgotten (the dress code), he replied: "I won't go where my furcoat isn't welcome, either."

Since nineteen years, Kaunitz is in office and seems to be destined not to leave it any time soon. And if I was to be born a subject and could choose among any of the currently living rulers, Maria Theresia would be my Queen. When she ascended to the throne, she found the troops and the finances of her state in utter disarray. In the middle of three nearly always miserable wars, she has managed to restore both and to put them on a higher level than they have had under any of her ancestors, and yet her subjects do not get oppressed. She is generious; nearly all public buildings in vienna, nearly all the roads of her provinces have either been built by her or renewed by her, and she's still rich, and she proves it through making huge and regular presents; she is faithful, she has never given into the temptation to go against her principles, and yet she isn't just compassionate, let alone soft, but she has reduced the arrogance of the Church, she has improved the education of the youth in all her states. Her politics were skillful without being false; so far, she has only conducted war to defend herself. And thus she has experienced the happiness to be truly loved by her subjects. For thirty years of her government, no action of hers has been known to go against the principle of justice.

May such a beautiful example not fall from its pedestal and keep itself pure to be imitated by posterity! And may my fatherland never have to complain about the lack of consistency of human virtues!* *Footnote: I wrote these words in the February of 1772. (I.e. before the Polish Partitioning.)

P: as disappointed in MT as Voltaire was in Fritz when Fritz invaded Silesia!

Re: Poniatowski - My (Not Yet Problematic) Austrian Fave(s)

[cahn]

He replied: I have to give my Empress and Queen account regarding my attitude as her minister, as her subject, but in no other way. If my princess is not content with my service, I will gladly give up my work and business and withdraw to my estate of Rietberg."

Wooooow, that's kinda great (and also great that MT respected it)

And may my fatherland never have to complain about the lack of consistency of human virtues!* *Footnote: I wrote these words in the February of 1772. (I.e. before the Polish Partitioning.)

Oooooooh.