Berlin,
1845), p. 185. _ Thaten und Leben des weltberuhmten Furstens Leopoldi
von Anhalt-Dessau _ (Leipzig, 1742), p. 73. Forster, i. 129.] A
Crown-Prince of Prussia, ought he not to learn soldiering, of all
things; by every opportunity? Which Friedrich Wilhelm did, with
industry; serving zealous apprenticeship under Marlborough and Eugene,
in this manner; plucking knowledge, as the bubble reputation, and all
else in that field has to be plucked, from the cannon's mouth. Friedrich
Wilhelm kept by Marlborough, now as formerly; friend Leopold being
commonly in Eugene's quarter, who well knew the worth of him, ever since
Blenheim and earlier. Friedrich Wilhelm saw hot service, that campaign
of 1709; siege of Tournay, and far more;--stood, among other things, the
fiery Battle of Malplaquet, one of the terriblest and deadliest feats of
war ever done. No want of intrepidity and rugged soldier-virtue in the
Prussian troops or their Crown-Prince; least of all on that terrible
day, 11th September, 1709;--of which he keeps the anniversary ever
since, and will do all his life, the doomsday of Malplaquet always a
memorable day to him. [Forster, i. 138.] He is more and more intimate
with Leopold, and loves good soldiering beyond all things. Here at
Berlin he has already got a regiment of his own, tallish fine men; and
strives to make it in all points a very pattern of a regiment.

For the rest, much here is out of joint, and far from satisfactory to
him. Seven years ago [1st February, 1705.] he lost his own brave Mother
and her love; of which we must speak farther by and by. In her stead
he has got a fantastic, melancholic, ill-natured Stepmother, with whom
there was never any good to be done; who in fact is now fairly mad,
and kept to her own apartments. He has to see here, and say little,
a chagrined heart-worn Father flickering painfully amid a scene much
filled with expensive futile persons, and their extremely pitiful cabals
and mutual rages; scene chiefly of pompous inanity, and the art of
solemnly and with great labor doing nothing. Such waste of labor and of
means: what can one do but be silent? The other year, Preussen (PRUSSIA
Proper, province lying far eastward, out of sight) was sinking under
pestilence and black ruin and despair: the Crown-Prince, contrary to
wont, broke silence, and begged some dole or subvention for these poor
people; but there was nothing to be had. Nothing in the treasury, your
Royal Highness:--Pre