manageable nature! Concerning which,
on one or two points, it were good, if conveniently possible, to come
to some preliminary understanding with the reader. Here, flying on loose
leaves, are certain incidental utterances, of various date: these, as
the topic is difficult, I will merely label and insert, instead of
a formal Discourse, which were too apt to slide into something of a
Lamentation, or otherwise take an unpleasant turn.

1. FRIEDRICH THEN, AND FRIEDRICH NOW.

This was a man of infinite mark to his contemporaries; who had witnessed
surprising feats from him in the world; very questionable notions and
ways, which he had contrived to maintain against the world and its
criticisms. As an original man has always to do; much more an original
ruler of men. The world, in fact, had tried hard to put him down, as it
does, unconsciously or, consciously, with all such; and after the
most conscious exertions, and at one time a dead-lift spasm of all its
energies for Seven Years, had not been able. Principalities and powers,
Imperial, Royal, Czarish, Papal, enemies innumerable as the seasand,
had risen against him, only one helper left among the world's Potentates
(and that one only while there should be help rendered in return); and
he led them all such a dance as had astonished mankind and them.

No wonder they thought him worthy of notice. Every original man of any
magnitude is;--nay, in the long-run, who or what else is? But how much
more if your original man was a king over men; whose movements were
polar, and carried from day to day those of the world along with them.
The Samson Agonistes,--were his life passed like that of Samuel Johnson
in dirty garrets, and the produce of it only some bits of written
paper,--the Agonistes, and how he will comport himself in the Philistine
mill; this is always a spectacle of truly epic and tragic nature. The
rather, if your Samson, royal or other, is not yet blinded or subdued
to the wheel; much more if he vanquish his enemies, not by suicidal
methods, but march out at last flourishing his miraculous fighting
implement, and leaving their mill and them in quite ruinous
circumstances. As this King Friedrich fairly managed to do.

For he left the world all bankrupt, we may say; fallen into bottomless
abysses of destruction; he still in a paying condition, and with
footing capable to carry his affairs and him. When he died, in 1786, the
enormous Phenomenon since called FRENCH