[History of Friedrich II. of Prussia Vol. XI. (of XXI.) by Thomas Carlyle]@TWC D-Link bookHistory of Friedrich II. of Prussia Vol. XI. (of XXI.) CHAPTER I 24/50
Duhan (his good old Tutor) does arrive, Algarotti arrives, warmly welcomed, both: with Voltaire there are difficulties; but surely he too will, before long, manage to arrive. The good Suhm, who had been Saxon Minister at Petersburg to his sorrow this long while back, got in motion soon enough; but, alas, his lungs were ruined by the Russian climate, and he did not arrive.
Something pathetic still in those final LETTERS of Suhm.
Passionately speeding on, like a spent steed struggling homeward; he has to pause at Warsaw, and in a few days dies there,--in a way mournful to Friedrich and us! To Duhan, and Duhan's children afterwards, he was punctually, not too lavishly, attentive; in like manner to Suhm's Nephews, whom the dying man had recommended to him .-- We will now glance shortly at a second and contemporaneous phasis of Friedrich's affairs. INTENDS TO BE PRACTICAL WITHAL, AND EVERY INCH A KING. Friedrich is far indeed from thinking to reduce his Army, as the Foreign Editor imagines.
On the contrary, he is, with all industry, increasing it.
He changed the Potsdam Giants into four regiments of the usual stature; he is busy bargaining with his Brother-in-law of Brunswick, and with other neighbors, for still new regiments;--makes up, within the next few months, Eight Regiments, an increase of, say, 16,000 men.
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