It was entitled the Anti-Machiavel, and was an edifying homily against rapacity, perfidy, arbitrary government, unjust war—in short, against almost everything for which its author is now remembered among men. Fritz in 1740:
His habit of canting about moderation, peace, liberty, and the happiness which a good mind derives from the happiness of others, had imposed on some who should have known better. Those who thought best of him expected a Telemachus after Fenelon's pattern. Others predicted the approach of a Medicean age— an age propitious to learning and art, and not unpropitious to pleasure. Nobody had the least suspicion that a tyrant of extraordinary military and political talents, of industry more extraordinary still, without fear, without faith, and without mercy, had ascended the throne. Fritz in the Silesian Wars, deciding to abandon his allies now that he's got Silesia:
In the mean time, Frederick was meditating a change of policy. He had no wish to raise France to supreme power on the continent, at the expense of the house of Hapsburg. His first object was to rob the Queen of Hungary. His second was that, if possible, nobody should rob her but himself. After the Second Silesian War:
By the public the King of Prussia was considered as a politician destitute alike of morality and decency, insatiably rapacious, and shamelessly false; nor was the public much in the wrong. He was at the same time allowed to be a man of parts— a rising general, a shrewd negotiator and adminis trator. Those qualities, wherein he surpassed all mankind, were as yet unknown to others or to him self ; for they were qualities which shine out only on a dark ground. His career had hitherto, with little interruption, been prosperous; and it was only in adversity, in adversity which seemed without hope or resource, in adversity that would have overwhelmed even men celebrated for strength of mind, that his real greatness could be shown. Famous apocryphal anecdote. One blogger I found has tried and failed to trace it back further than Macaulay, who may have invented it:
He once saw a crowd staring at something on a wall. He rode up, and found that the object of curiosity was a scurrilous placard against himself. The placard had been posted up so high that it was not easy to read it. Frederick ordered his attendants to take it down and put it lower. " My people and I," he said, "have come to an agreement which satisfies us - both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please." No person would have dared to publish in London satires on George II. approaching to the atrocity of those satires on Frederick which the booksellers at Berlin sold with impunity.
One bookseller sent to the palace a copy of the most stinging lampoon that perhaps was ever written in the world, the "Memoirs of Voltaire," published by Beaumarchais, and asked for his majesty's orders. " Do not advertise it in an offensive manner," said the king; "but sell it by all means. I hope it will pay you well." Even among statesmen accustomed to the license of a free press such steadfastness of mind as this is not very common. Macaulay's belief in religious freedom leads him to be opposed to anti-Semitism and one tiny aspect of English colonialism. One of the few works by him I have read is an essay on religious tolerance, and I remember it having some good and quotable arguments.
Religious persecution was unknown under his government—unless some foolish and unjust restrictions which lay upon the Jews may be regarded as forming an exception.
His policy with respect to the Catholics of Silesia presented an honorable contrast to the policy which, under very similar circumstances, England long followed with respect to the Catholics of Ireland. Several pages devoted to Fritz's control issues, excerpted here:
Most of the vices of Frederick's administration resolve themselves into one vice—the spirit of meddling.
[Insert numerous examples.]
For his commercial policy, however, there is some excuse. He had on his side illustrious examples and popular prejudice. Grievously as he erred, he erred in company with his age. In other departments his meddling was altogether without apology. He interfered with the course of justice as well as with the course of trade.
It never occurred to him that a body of men whose lives were passed in adjudicating on questions of civil right, were more likely to form correct opinions on such questions than a prince whose attention was divided between a thousand objects, and who had probably never read a law-book through...
[Examples.]
He firmly believed that he was doing right and defending the cause of the poor against the wealthy. Yet this well-meant meddling probably did far more harm than all the explosions of his evil passions during the whole of his long reign. We could make shift to live under a debauchee or a tyrant, but to be ruled by a busybody is more than human nature can bear.
His first object was to rob the Queen of Hungary. His second was that, if possible, nobody should rob her but himself.
Of so many quotable sentences, this is my favourite. Second favourite:
We could make shift to live under a debauchee or a tyrant, but to be ruled by a busybody is more than human nature can bear.
Absolutely golden. Though not true, she says, living at apoint where a competent busybody definitely looks like a prospect ever so much better than tyrants or debauchees, of which there are currently far too many in power.
It was entitled the Anti-Machiavel, and was an edifying homily against rapacity, perfidy, arbitrary government, unjust war—in short, against almost everything for which its author is now remembered among men.
Ha! I must admit the Anti-Machiavel is pretty hilarious even without Macaulay's phrasing, though :D
His first object was to rob the Queen of Hungary. His second was that, if possible, nobody should rob her but himself.
HEE.
Most of the vices of Frederick's administration resolve themselves into one vice—the spirit of meddling.
HE'S NOT WRONG.
We could make shift to live under a debauchee or a tyrant, but to be ruled by a busybody is more than human nature can bear.
HAHAHAHA. I mean, yeah, not really true, but I sympathize with the sentiment!
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Macaulay - Fritz's personality
Date: 2020-09-03 02:41 am (UTC)It was entitled the Anti-Machiavel, and was an edifying homily against rapacity, perfidy, arbitrary government, unjust war—in short, against almost everything for which its author is now remembered among men.
Fritz in 1740:
His habit of canting about moderation, peace, liberty, and the happiness which a good mind derives from the happiness of others, had imposed on some who should have known better. Those who thought best of him expected a Telemachus after Fenelon's pattern. Others predicted the approach of a Medicean age— an age propitious to learning and art, and not unpropitious to pleasure. Nobody had the least suspicion that a tyrant of extraordinary military and political talents, of industry more extraordinary still, without fear, without faith, and without mercy, had ascended the throne.
Fritz in the Silesian Wars, deciding to abandon his allies now that he's got Silesia:
In the mean time, Frederick was meditating a change of policy. He had no wish to raise France to supreme power on the continent, at the expense of the house of Hapsburg. His first object was to rob the Queen of Hungary. His second was that, if possible, nobody should rob her but himself.
After the Second Silesian War:
By the public the King of Prussia was considered as a politician destitute alike of morality and decency, insatiably rapacious, and shamelessly false; nor was the public much in the wrong. He was at the same time allowed to be a man of parts— a rising general, a shrewd negotiator and adminis trator. Those qualities, wherein he surpassed all mankind, were as yet unknown to others or to him self ; for they were qualities which shine out only on a dark ground. His career had hitherto, with little interruption, been prosperous; and it was only in adversity, in adversity which seemed without hope or resource, in adversity that would have overwhelmed even men celebrated for strength of mind, that his real greatness could be shown.
Famous apocryphal anecdote. One blogger I found has tried and failed to trace it back further than Macaulay, who may have invented it:
He once saw a crowd staring at something on a wall. He rode up, and found that the object of curiosity was a scurrilous placard against himself. The placard had been posted up so high that it was not easy to read it. Frederick ordered his attendants to take it down and put it lower. " My people and I," he said, "have come to an agreement which satisfies us - both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please." No person would have dared to publish in London satires on George II. approaching to the atrocity of those satires on Frederick which the booksellers at Berlin sold with impunity.
One bookseller sent to the palace a copy of the most stinging lampoon that perhaps was ever written in the world, the "Memoirs of Voltaire," published by Beaumarchais, and asked for his majesty's orders. " Do not advertise it in an offensive manner," said the king; "but sell it by all means. I hope it will pay you well." Even among statesmen accustomed to the license of a free press such steadfastness of mind as this is not very common.
Macaulay's belief in religious freedom leads him to be opposed to anti-Semitism and one tiny aspect of English colonialism. One of the few works by him I have read is an essay on religious tolerance, and I remember it having some good and quotable arguments.
Religious persecution was unknown under his government—unless some foolish and unjust restrictions which lay upon the Jews may be regarded as forming an exception.
His policy with respect to the Catholics of Silesia presented an honorable contrast to the policy which, under very similar circumstances, England long followed with respect to the Catholics of Ireland.
Several pages devoted to Fritz's control issues, excerpted here:
Most of the vices of Frederick's administration resolve themselves into one vice—the spirit of meddling.
[Insert numerous examples.]
For his commercial policy, however, there is some excuse. He had on his side illustrious examples and popular prejudice. Grievously as he erred, he erred in company with his age. In other departments his meddling was altogether without apology. He interfered with the course of justice as well as with the course of trade.
It never occurred to him that a body of men whose lives were passed in adjudicating on questions of civil right, were more likely to form correct opinions on such questions than a prince whose attention was divided between a thousand objects, and who had probably never read a law-book through...
[Examples.]
He firmly believed that he was doing right and defending the cause of the poor against the wealthy. Yet this well-meant meddling probably did far more harm than all the explosions of his evil passions during the whole of his long reign. We could make shift to live under a debauchee or a tyrant, but to be ruled by a busybody is more than human nature can bear.
Re: Macaulay - Fritz's personality
Date: 2020-09-03 11:24 am (UTC)Of so many quotable sentences, this is my favourite. Second favourite:
We could make shift to live under a debauchee or a tyrant, but to be ruled by a busybody is more than human nature can bear.
Absolutely golden. Though not true, she says, living at apoint where a competent busybody definitely looks like a prospect ever so much better than tyrants or debauchees, of which there are currently far too many in power.
Re: Macaulay - Fritz's personality
Date: 2020-09-04 12:53 am (UTC)Situated as he was with respect to England, he could not well imprison or shoot refractory Howards and Cavendishes.
:D
Re: Macaulay - Fritz's personality
Date: 2020-09-05 05:39 am (UTC)Ha! I must admit the Anti-Machiavel is pretty hilarious even without Macaulay's phrasing, though :D
His first object was to rob the Queen of Hungary. His second was that, if possible, nobody should rob her but himself.
HEE.
Most of the vices of Frederick's administration resolve themselves into one vice—the spirit of meddling.
HE'S NOT WRONG.
We could make shift to live under a debauchee or a tyrant, but to be ruled by a busybody is more than human nature can bear.
HAHAHAHA.
I mean, yeah, not really true, but I sympathize with the sentiment!