Memoirs of Frederica Sophia Wilhelmina: Princess Royal of Prussia, Margravine of Bareith, Sister of Frederick the GreatHenry Colburn, 1812 - Prussia (Germany) |
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acquainted affected answer appeared arrived behaviour Berlin Bevern British monarch brother cause continued Count Finck Countess court daughter death disposition dreadful Duchess Duke of Weissenfeld endeavoured English Eversmann extremely father favour favourite fear felt gave give going governess Grumkow hand Hanover heart hereditary Prince honour hopes husband induced intreated intrigues Katt King of England King of Poland King of Prussia King's ladies length letter Madam de Blaspil Madam de Bulow Madam de Kamken Madam de Sonsfeld majesty Margrave of Schwedt Margravine marriage marry Mermann mind minister misfortune Miss Letti Mon-Bijou monarch morning narch never obey obliged obtain ordered passed passion person Potsdam present Prince of Anhalt Prince of Bareith Prince of Wales Prince Royal Princess promised Prussia Ramen regiment replied Royal Highness secret Sekendorff sent Sir Hotham sister soon suffer tears ther thing thought tion told took treated uneasiness violent wished Wusterhausen
Popular passages
Page 69 - The king of England was a prince who valued himself on his sentiments ; but, unfortunately, he had never applied to the enlightening of his mind. Many virtues, carried to an extreme, become vices. This was his case. He affected a firmness which degenerated into harshness, and a tranquillity which might be called indolence. His generosity extended only to his favourites and mistresses, by whom he suffered himself to be governed ; the rest of mankind wers excluded.
Page 266 - ... will sweetly harmonize ; or, to speak more plainly, when I shall have the pleasure to address you in person, and to assure you that nothing in the world can diminish my friendship for you. Adieu.
Page 42 - German servantgirls, who officiated as maids of honour, waiting-maids, cooks, and washer-women. Almost every one of these creatures carried in her arms a richly dressed infant : and when they were asked, whether these children were their own ? they answered, prostrating themselves in the Russian fashion : the Czar has done me the honour to make me the mother of this child. The Queen would not speak to these creatures ; and the Czarina, to be revenged, treated the Princesses of the blood with much...
Page 44 - Her robe had been purchased at an old-clothes broker : it was made in the antique fashion, and heavily laden with silver and grease. The front of her stays was adorned with jewels, singularly placed : they represented a double eagle, badly set, the wings of which were of small stones. She wore a dozen orders and as many portraits of saints and relics, fastened to the facing of her gown : so that when she walked, the jumbling of all these orders and portraits one against the other, made a tinkling...
Page 273 - I dined tete-a-tete with my governess in a small parlour, the door of which opened into a passage. Our ordinary was so scanty, that we were starving for the greatest part of the time. We had nothing but bare bones boiled in water with a little salt, and small beer instead of wine, which obliged us to drink pure water. When we were sitting at table, we complained that the room was too hot, and opened the door that looked into the passage, where several people were always going and coming. I gently...
Page 36 - I was to bemoan, weep, and use every effort to detain him. To impress it more strongly upon my mind, she told me that my life and my brother's were at stake. I acted my part so well, that it was half past six before the king was aware of it; when, rising all at once, and walking towards the door, leading his son by the hand, the latter began to struggle, and utter piercing cries. The king, surprised, attempted to comfort him by gentle means; but seeing that his efforts were unavailing, and that the...
Page 103 - ... was a man of superior merit ; he had frequently been at Berlin, and knew me very well. He was delighted with the proposal, and sounded the king of Poland upon it. The monarch appeared favourably inclined to the alliance, and sent the count to Berlin to invite the king of Prussia to pass the Carnival at Dresden. Grumkow and his Pylades imparted their designs to the king. Charmed to meet with so brilliant an establishment for me, he gladly assented to their wishes : he returned a very obliging...
Page 127 - Berlin had been too great to be lasting j from the paradise in which we had lived we fell into purgatory. Our sufferings began a few days after our arrival at this dismal place. The king had a private conversation with the queen : my sister and myself were sent to an adjoining room. Although the door was closed, I soon conjectured, from the tone of their conversation, that they were having a violent quarrel. I even heard my name frequently repeated ; at which I felt greatly alarmed. The conversation...
Page 361 - ... furious tyrant. That seems, indeed, to have been rather the popular and historical conception of him than the impression he made upon his exalted contemporaries. The Margravine of Baireuth at any rate could so far excuse her poor blood-stained brother-in-law as to say: " The Margrave of Ansbach .... was a young prince who had been very badly educated. He continually ill-treated my sister ; they led the life of cat and dog. My sister, it is true, was sometimes in fault.... Her education had been...
Page 114 - The constraint under which he lived prevented his abandoning himself to it ; and his constitution could not bear up against this privation. Some officious persons informed the King of it, and advised him to have the Prince married, else his life would be in danger, or he might indulge in excesses which would ruin his health. The King answered, in presence of some young officers, that he would give one hundred ducats to the person who should inform him, that his son was afflicted with a disgraceful...