BOOKS.

RANKE'S HISTORY OF PRUSSIA.* THE formation of Prussia is a curious political phtenomenon; an aggre- gation of principalities, shires or districts, and tribes, in an age too ad- vanced to permit the rough amalgamation of races which took place be- tween the downfall of the Roman power and the establishment of the feudal system. Till the close of the seventeenth century, the Electorate of Brandenburg was a species of heptarchy in fact, whose little poten- tates had been removed, but whose territories remained as distinct from each other as any of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. When, taking advan- tage of the embarrassments which beset the Emperor of Germany, from the ambition of Louis the Fourteenth and the threatened diffi- culties of the Spanish succession, Frederick the First procured a recog- nition of Prussia as a Kingdom and himself as King, in 1700-1, no real change was effected in the nature of the Marches or Marks that had been aggregated by marriage, force, influence, distant accession, or what is vulgarly called "swopping." The acquisition of Stettin and part of Pomerania by the second King of Prussia, from the distresses of Charles the Twelfth and his successor, gave him an extension of territory, with a seabord on the Baltic, but could not impart homogeneousness to his dominions. Neither could the seizure of Silesia by Frederick the Great, his share in the partition of Poland, and the subsequent acquisitions of his successors. It is a question whether the wars of the French Re- volution and the internal changes they compelled really amalgamated the Prussian states ; for we have seen during late events the strong feelings that respectively animate the Germans and Poles. It may be doubted whether Prussia before the French Revolution, or even after it, had as much unity as the British islands at the accession of James the First; with this important difference, that the government of Prussia had unity enough : the power of the estates, the nobles, and the burghers, whatever it once might have been, had perished during the religious wars of the seventeenth century and the vigorous rule of the last Elector and the first two Kings. The privileges of the nobles as against the classes below them, and their feudal rights against their peasantry, might re- main intact, but the power of the Crown was supreme.

We believe that the early history of Prussia, treated in the same man- ner as Mr. Kemble has treated the Saxons in England, would furnish in- formation alike curious and instructive respecting the fundamentals of German society and the nature of their institutions. The wars and ad- ventures of the Teutonic Knights and the first Hargraves of Brandenburg of the Ascanian house) would yield materials for picturesque narrative. For neither of such topics was Ranke's genius well adapted ; nor does it altogether appear to have been his cue to investigate the groundwork of the old Germanic free institutions, to trace their internal decay, or notice at too great length the princely usurpations made upon them. He passes over the history of the Electorate in a very cursory manner, and does not dwell long upon the rule of the last Elector : even the reign of the 5rst King of Prussia is not treated very elaborately; it is little fuller than the previous survey. The history really begins with the second King, Frederick William ; whose reign occupies the greater part of the first volume. The second and third volumes are entirely devoted to the reign of Frederick the Great, without completing it ; the history is not brought further down than the middle of the last century.

The plan of the work does not greatly differ from the usual method of historical writing. The characters and doings of monarchs and ministers are the subjects of Ranke, with matters that appear more peculiarly to belong to them ; as the state of the finances, the force and discipline of She army, and any alterations or improvements in the law. The people, or even the classes of society, are not much noticed, unless incidentally and in connexion with the sovereign : as a change in the management of the crown lands, at that time an important source of revenue, involves a view of the nature of their tenure ; and when some improvement in taxation and the encouragement of the sovereign increases the building of houses, the reader has a glimpse of the state to which the devastating wars of the seventeenth century had brought the country. Such notices are incident- al: the book is a right royal book. It is even more a history of the house of Brandenburg than a history of Prussia. The royal characters are drawn at unusual length : the domestic m6nage, the particular tastes, and family quarrels of the regal house, are " writ at large," and with some- what of a homely though courtierlike manner ; not altogether suppress- mg or disguising the truth, but recording it with a full sense of its im- portance. This elaborate introduction of the King and the rest of the royal family into the history gives to it a peculiar feature, relieving the dryness of politics by the interest of biography and anecdote : and when this relates to the great Frederick it has of course a higher attraction. Some attention, too, has been given to literature and literary men, but less as independent powers than as satellites of royalty flourishing in its countenance.

In literary character, this History of Prussia does not differ much from .the former historical works of Henke. It exhibits the same research and the same power of seizing upon the distinctive points of his authorities, an equal sagacity rather than philosophy of view, and a similar vital homeliness of -Style. There is the like deficiency of high literary art, which gives the ap- pearance of a narrowness of comprehension rather than is such actually; perhaps there is still more of the old disquisition or dissertation, which sometimes stops the narrative and frequently clogs it. To a certain extent this wandering beyond the strict subject is necessary, as the wars and policy of Frederick the Great really embraced the whole of Europe. In one arse it is an advantage to the English reader, since it presents him with the inatory of Europe during a large part of the last century from the German Vont of view ; and of a part, too, rather apt to be slighted by English histo- * Memoirs of the House of llrandenbarg, and History of Prussia, daring the Seven- teenth and Eighteenth Centuries- BY Leopold 'mu's.— Translated from the German by Sir Alexander and Lady Duff Gordon. In three volumes. Published by Murray. rians when not accompanied by great battles—Continental politics. The position of Ranke as a Prussian literary commissioner to edite the works of Frederick, gave him access to all the archives of the Prussian Govern- ment. His researches also extended to the Foreign Offices of Paris and London ; but we think that the originality of his work arises as much from his own mind—from the conclusions be draws, and the light in which he presents matters—as from any remarkable discoveries. In- deed, Frederick wrote so much himself, lived so much among writers, was so completely the observed of all observers, and since his death has been subjected, especially in his military capacity, to such searching criticism, from the commonest commentator up to Napoleon Bona. park that much novelty relating to him was not to be expected. Ranke aims at throwing a new light upon the disputes between the Prince and (as the world has hitherto supposed) his brutal father, not so- much by any discoveries in what the late Mr. Disraeli would have called " secret history," as by painting the King-father as a homely, heroic old German, with patriarchal and patriotic notions, who was angered, and not altogether without cause, by the youth's taste for French and kniek- nackeries, as well as by some of the pardonable freaks of boyhood. If, as we partly suspect, more of the regal historiographer than of the pa- triotic historian designedly animates the work, it is most capitally done. There is no appearance of rhetoric, no laboured justifications in question- able logic or fine phrases, no attempt at defending what is doubtful or palliating what is wrong : on the contrary, there is often a real im- partiality upon single acts. It is in the turn given to the general con- clusion, the homely honesty of manner, almost amounting to in- difference and the way in which the reader is led to see that the world has formed a mistaken idea of the character, that the art of Ranke con-

sists, if it is art. It is the vital homeliness of style which constitutes one of the most re- markable distinctions of Bunke, and, though visible in all his works, showa itself most appropriately in the Electorate or newly-founded Monarchy of Prussia. In the sketches of the family life of the house of Brandenburg one can recognize some of those sordid and sottish habits, mingled with a ludicrous pride and an occasional aim at splendour, which furnished so fruitful a theme for British wit during a great portion of the last century, when some such qualities were seen upon the throne. The first Prussian King had a taste for pomp, which rather resembled the child with a new toy than the able founder of a dynasty.

"King Frederick never felt so happy as when seated on his throne, clad in the insignia of royalty and surrounded by the Margraves his brothers, who appeared in princely splendour; by the Knights of his order, which was then worn on a splendid chain hung across the back and shoulders; by his Chamberlains with their golden keys; by the members of his Privy Council and of his Ministry in their embroidered dresses of office; and by the Generals and Colonels of his army.

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The officers of his body-guard appeared n a splendid uniform of white satin, edged with gold lace, and made after the ancient Swiss fashion. Everything ap- pertaining to the Court—wardrobes, stables, cellars, kitchens, and plate-rooms,- were furnished with the greatest abundance. Four-and twenty trumpeters an- nounced that the dinner was served. The hunting-lodge, and, above all, the royal orchestra, were filled by a numerous staff. The King would not be deprived of the Court Fool, who so frequently told him in jest the truth which was concealed by others; he also liked to have a few Blackamoors and a baptized Turk or two in his service. Then the blue liveries of his servants were ISD covered with gold lace, that nothing more than the very edges of the red velvet borders with which they were trimmed were visible. The King took an active part in the direction of all these trifles, and in the arrangement of splendid festivals ; and he was as- sured by all that no one possessed so much talent for such things. Those, how- ever, who desired the improvement of the affairs of Brandenburg in essentials were not so well pleased. That which was feared from the beginning seemed likely to be the case, namely, that the splendour of the throne would endanger the economy of the state. It once even became necessary to represent to the King that the expenses of his household were now twice as large as they had been during the first years of his reign,—when, however, extraordinary causes of outlay had been necessary,—and that no corresponding source of revenue had been opened."

"What to shun will no great knowledge need" ; and the second King, avoiding his father's faults, got rid of courtly splendours, spent his even- ings over his pot and his pipe, and expended nearly all his money on soldiers; • forming, in fact, that army and that military spirit by whie1r his son Frederick acquired his victories. Pride of etiquette he probably had not ; regal pride we suspect he possessed, notwithstanding his objec. tion to the use of titles as shown in the following rules for the education of Prince Frederick ; at least he had a truly patriarchal or Roman idea of the power of the paterfamilias.

"He had always regarded with equal disgust and pity the pains taken to in- spire the young Princes of Germany with so high a value for the antiquity of their houses, the purity and nobility of their blood, the number of high-sounding titles with which they were addressed by the courtiers, and the ignorance in which they were left of all the real conditions and exigencies of life. He entirely forbade such training. Every one who approached the Prince was to be warned not to flatter him; if, in spite of this, any one continued to do so, he was to be denounced. On no account in the world was his son to be made arrogant; the high-sounding phrases 'our dearly-beloved consort,' 'our well-beloved son the Electoral Prince, in which his father had delighted, the mention of the 'noble' or magnificent' land, and the millions of its inhabitants,' were dropped by Frederick William,' and in their place were substituted the simple expressions my wife," my son, ' the country '; he even changed the We into I. The old instructions insisted on the respect and submission to be paid by the Prince to the paternal authority; on which the King observed that this submission ought not to be slavish: the ex- pression in his own handwriting in the margin is, that the Prince should have confidence in him, regard him as his best friend, and cherish brotherly love' for him; that was what his instructors should endeavour to implant in his heart. He attaches no value to any but the most necessary kind of knowledge on subjects connected with daily life. Be entirely rejects the study of genealogy, which had formerly been recommended. Instead of the 'History of /he Electoral and Princely House of Brandenburg,' he will hear of nothing but Prussian history connected with the science of politics; the Prince must learn geography-with the map before him, and must be perfect master of arithmetic. It is very remarkable that the Elector utterly forbids Latin: he no longer attached any meaning to the golden bull which makes the knowledge of that language imperative on an electoral prince. The child was not to be plagued with grammar rules: it was sufficient if he acquired a current French and German style by practice. "Such were the negative rules of the Prince's education; its positive object y

were three.

" 'As his governors were distinguished warriors, so his associates were to be srslispally officers; his tastes for glory and valour; and his affections for the rmy hmustbe thoroughly impressed with the feeling that he would be utterly a: e 113ll

despicable if not a soldier. "Secondly, he was to be a good economist: he must be inspired with aversion and disgust for ostentation and needless expense,,and still more for gaining and eve kind of prodigality.

tly, he must be a good Evangelical (i.e. Protestant) Christian. The base- lessness of the Catholic religion was to be explained to him as distinctly and forcibly as possible: as to the heretical sects, such as Arians, Socinians, and Quakers, it was better to say nothing to him about them.

"These religious views are particularly consyicuotts in a scheme for the daily employment of time, prescribed in the year 1720, and full of the exaggerated zeal of that period.

"The Prince must rise early and quickly, and immediately pronounce a short prayer kneeling; as soon as he has dressed himself rapidly, and swallowed a slight breakfast of tea, a longer prayer was to be uttered in the presence of all the ser- vants, likewise kneeling, a chapter of the Bible read, and a psalm sung with a loud voice; the fencing lessons are to alternate with religions instruction ; the Prince is to accompany the King to parade every morning except Sundays, when he is to march at the head of his company to church. The strange sort of in- struction given him in general history was dictated by the same spirit. He was made to read the Theatrum Enropssum; the first volume of which contains the history of religious wars. "it IS obvious that Frederick William did not aim at a liberal cultivation of natural endowments, nor at the acquirement of general knowledge; education and instruction had with him a special and predetermined aim- he wished to make his son a man like himself; and it appeared probable that his method would succeed."

Of the many general reflections on policy or politics which the volumes contain, we can only spare room for the following judicious remarks on the influence that the feeling of the people has upon a campaign.

"There was yet another cause which contributed largely to the sucess of these rnanceavres.

"Although in the present century it has often seemed, and has almost always been supposed, that the result of the military enterprise depends altogether upon the operations of large armies, neverthelsss it soon appears that the disposition and the sympathies of the population exercise a great influence upon it. The Bohemians had wavered when a Catholic Prince made his appearance in Prague and set up his throne in that city. But the failure of the attempt, and the dis- turbances and calamities incident to the war which accompanied it, had caused a revulsion of feeling in favour of the house of Austria, and had disinclined the people to any change. The Kralowna, as the Sclavonians called the Queen, at her coronation had won over the nobility by the favour which she showed them; the clergy, too, had no mind to see a Protestant king make himself master of the kingdom, even indirectly and by degrees; the people, who were exasperated by the excesses of the Prussian soldiers, were altogether guided by the priests. In- telligence of the movements of the Prussians spread from village to village; the cattle were driven off into the woods, the corn was bu- ried in the earth, the houses were often found deserted and stripped of all the necessaries of life. It was useless under such circumstances to think of putting in practice any system of levying supplies: the troops were dependent upon supplies brought from the magazines, and the difficulty of transport was much increased by the state of affairs. Everything combined to embarrass the Prussians: the nature of the country, which was broken and wooded; the vast superiority in numbers' though not in discipline, of the Hungarian cavalry, which was increased by Dalmatians, Arnauts, and Create; and the hatred of the country-people. For the most part this hatred was negative, but it sometimes happened that Prussian stragglers were killed. Here and there, too, adventurers placed themselves at the head of irregular bands of armed insurgents, and took upon themselves the command and defence of a district against the Prussians. In a thousand instances, each apparently trifling but collectively of great in- fluence on the final issue of the war, the sympathy and assistance of the people of the country is most valuable to an army. Without the army, the disposition of the people would matter very little, but with it is invincible.

"The conclusion is, in short, that as the conquest of Silesia was greatly pro- moted by the favour of the Protestant, in like manner the attempt upon Bohemia failed partly on aceennt of the hatred of the Catholic population."

The translation is well done, on a somewhat free principle; not free as to the sense, for the translators have completely penetrated into their author's meaning, but free with respect to the choice of words and the structure of sentences. While they show "great mastery over the original language, they are by no means verbal rtorists, and do not hesitate to give renderings which are not mere English equivalents, but elucidations of the text. Ranke is a writer who constantly offers constructive diffi- culties to the translator ; and Sir Alexander and Lady Gordon are highly to be commended for the very readable English they have made him speak.