He would like to begin his rule by
something striking. He is a firmer friend of the army than his father.
His religion is that of a gentleman: he believes in God and the
forgiveness of sins. He likes splendor and things on a large scale. He
will reestablish all the court positions and bring the nobles to his
court." This prophecy was not fully justified. We seek to understand
other sides of his nature at this time. The new King was a man of
fiery, enthusiastic temperament, he was quickly aroused, and the tears
came readily to his eyes. Like his contemporaries, he too was
passionately eager to admire grandeur and to give himself up to tender
feelings in a poetical mood. He played adagios softly on his flute.
Like his worthy contemporaries, he did not easily find, in prose or
poetry, the full expression of his feelings; pathetic oratory stirred
him to tearful emotion. In spite of all his French aphorisms, the
essence of his nature was very German in this respect also.
Those who ascribe to him a cold heart have judged him unfairly. It is
not cold hearts in princes which give the most offense by their
harshness. Such hearts are almost always gifted with the art of
satisfying those about them by uniform graciousness and tactful
expression. The strongest utterances of contempt are generally found
close beside the pleasing tones of a caressing tenderness. But in
Frederick, it seems to us, there was a striking and unusual union of
two totally opposite tendencies of the emotional nature, which
elsewhere are engaged in an unending struggle.
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