Rheinsberg (Volume 2 ); Memeorials of Frederick the Great and Prince of Prussia

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. THE OCCUPATION OF WEST PRUSSIA. Prince Henry goes to Sweden and Russia--Catherine's reception of him--The Queen of Sweden returns his visit--He goes to Russia a second time--The Grand Duke Paul returns the visit--Paul sees the Tritons performing their natural functions. In Prince Henry's letters there are hints that he would have liked to go on his travels; to perform the grand tour; to see Italy. Of course he could not go without leave asked and given; but the King took care never to understand the hints, and thus it would have been both clumsy and useless to put the wish into plain words. (Frederick always affected to think very meanly of travelling in Italy; rather to pity the people who went there.) Failing the grand tour, the Prince went, in 1768, to Holland. In 1769 he accompanied the King to Neisse, to receive the visit of the Emperor Joseph. And in 1770 he went to Sweden and Russia He had not seen his sister Ulrique since she went away as a young bride in 1744, and there were also political reasons for the journey;--communications to the Swedish Government, which could best be made personally. (Frederick dreaded the intended overturn of the Swedish Constitution, and he wished his sister to be made aware that, in the event of any attack by Sweden on Russia, he would be obliged to side with the latter Power.) Henry stayed August and September with the Queen, and the visit seems to have given a great deal of pleasure to both of them. The diplomatic mission was soon and easily fulfilled; but before Henry had been many weeks in Stockholm, he learned that he was to be employed on another and a longer errand. The Empress Catherine, hearing of his journey, sent so urgent an invitation for him to come to St. Petersburg, that Frederick, in the ...