His literary acquisitions, when compared with the dis advantages of his education, were considerable; but were, in a great measure, confined to the belles lettres, and to moral science. He possessed little knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages; and his acquaintance with classi cal authors was derived principally through the medi um of French translations. Besides the works which have been already mentioned, he wrote letters on patriot ism and on German literature ; and left behind hint in manu script, Memoirs of his own Time, from the Year 1740 to the Peace of Dresden—? History of the War of Seven Years—and A History of the Transactions from the Peace of Hubersburg ; which were published after his death. Ilis poetical compositions, consisting of his poem on the art of war, with a variety of odes and epistles, are collected under the title of 0 uvres melees du Philosophe de Sans Souci. He displayed, in his capacity of a ruler, more of perso nal ability than of political wisdom. Ile was constantly aiming at the aggrandisement of his dominions, which he never hesitated to accomplish by the most unprovoked hos tilities and unprincipled usurpations. He devoted, indeed, the last twenty years of his life to promote the prosperity of his subjects; but always upon principles of despotism, and in subserviency to ambitious schemes. In attention to his army, his government, and the internal policy of his kingdom, he was probably the most indefatigable sove reign that ever existed. His vigilance was unremitting, 'his industry unwearied. Every department of government was under his own immediate inspection ; and the most minute particulars did not escape his observation. He conceived himself capable of every thing, and despised the talents of others. His numerous nominal counsellors he never consulted ; and to his various ministers of state he delegated no portion of superintending power ; but he would direct and almost perform every thing himself. This intermeddling and controuling spirit was the great error of his administration ; and rendered many of his financial and commercial plans more pernicious than profitable to his people. He interfered even in judicial proceedings and li terary questions; and made himself the supreme review ing tribunal in all matters of equity and taste. He intro duced a kind of military mechanism into every deparment ; and " was constantly working mischief by working too much." It was at the head of an army, that his talents appeared to the greatest advantage ; and he must be ac knowledged to have been the most accomplished warrior of modern times. He possessed an extensive knowledge of military science ; and is ranked next to Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Gustavus Adolphus, as an inventor in the modern art of war. He introduced the use of flying artil lery, and improved the oblique or angular order of battle, of which he profoundly studied the principles, and skilfully illustrated the efficacy, in not less than forty-two engage ments. He was eminently distinguished by the prompti tude and energy with which he executed his plans ; and was always sure to prevail wherever active exertion could ensure success. His personal intrepidity, his astonishing presence of mind in the moment of danger, and his patient endurance of hardships and privations, could not be sur passed ; and in all his severest reverses, he discovered a mind that could not he subdued. Yet, with all his great endowments, there was little in his character to make hint either amiable as a man, or venerable as a sovereign. Many of his Inuits may, no doubt, be traced to the despotic senti ments in which he was educated, and the military habits in which he lived ; but there are traits in his character, which incontestably demonstrate, that his superior powers of in tellect were united with a radical littleness of mind. His
parsimony, ingratitude, cruelty, and injustice, are proved by a thousand instances. Ile examined every evening the bill of fare for next day's dinner, squabbling with his do mestics about the pi ices of every article, and paying with his own hands the expellees of his kitchen, stables, &c. Ile never bestowed one smile of favour upon the relatives of his friend De Catt, who had sacrificed himself in his behalf. To the family of the \Vrechs, who had befriended hint in his imprisonment at the risk of their lives, he neither repaid the sums which they had pinched them selves to raise for his accommodation, nor distinguished them by any act of patronage. lie broke the heart of his amiable brother, William Augustus, by harsh usage ; and ruined the health and happiness of his youngest sister Amelia, by his barbarous persecution of her lover Trenck. lie lavished, with unfeeling prodigality, the blood of his soldiers ; and dismissed in time of peace his bravest offi cers, because they were not of noble extraction ; though he had invited them to enter the army when he needed their services. He uniformly quarrelled with his most in timate associates ; and often discarded, with the harshest injustice, those who had most faithfully spent their lives in his service. He commanded his favourite Secretary Galser to coin fifteen millions of ducats with an alloy of one-third of base metal ; and, when the matter was disco vered, lie punished the unfortunate secretary with disgrace and banishment, as the author of the fraud.
He treated his literary companions and dependants with insolent familiarity, making them the butts of his sarcastic raillery ; and, after encouraging them to similar freedoms, suddenly silencing them with his kingly authority, or with the most passionate abuse, and sometimes even with kicks and blows. He delighted to indulge in the most impious discussions; and bestowed the highest marks of his favour upon the most atheistical blasphemers. His general spirit, in short, was selfish and unfeeling; and, though he wished for the praise of virtue, he was ready to sacrifice every consideration to the love of fame, especially to the attain ment of military renown. His intellectual powers, how ever eminent, were at least of that inferior order, which can submit to be guided by profligacy of principle, and stoop to seek assistance. from dishonourable means. His abilities thus often appeared much greater than they were in reality ; because, when wisdom failed, he had recourse to wickedness, and accomplished objects which would have baffled others, not because they were weaker, but because they were better men. Such, in fact, is often the chief su periority possessed by those who have received the appel lation of Great ; a " title, which is the less honourable, that mankind have generally agreed to bestow it where grati tude was least of all due." See Gillies' View of the Reign of Frederick II. of Prussia; Tower's Memoirs of the Life and Reign of Frederick of Prussia ; Thiebault, JtIemoires de Frederick le Grand ; Johnson's Memcirs of the King of Prussia ; Baron Bielfeld's Letters ; Observations on the Military Establishment of the King of Prussia, with an Ac count of his private Life ; time King of Prussia's Campaigns, written by an Officer, and translated from the French ; ecdotes and Characteristics of Frederick the Great ; Ries beck's Travels in Germany ; Thomson's Military Memoirs ; Voltaire's Idee du Roi de Prusse. (q)