The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-24
The Transition in Prussia.

As PRUSSIA is become one OF the leading na-
tions of the earth it is worth while to consider
from what small beginnings she has reached
her present great proportions. II her recent
great victories did not make noise enough in
the world, she has had what some might con-
slider another advantage in having a noveliss
ready to exhume the most attractive parts o.
her history, and to serve them up as a sort of
dessert after the heavy and substantial part OF
the repast has been withdrawn. Our readers
will know at once that We allude to the inter
minable string of romances descriptive of Prus-
sian court-life, by L Muhlbach. To persons
who are too lazy or who have not been trained
to historical reading, historical novels may
be we'll enough, but for our own part we must
frankly confess that to us the real facts of
history are far more attractive than the fur
bishings-up of the shreds and patches by
third or fourth-rate writers. An exception
must be made in favor of a few who belong to
the rare gifted ones of this world. Sir Walter
Scott, as every one knows could make almos
any branch of literature interesting. To de
scribe historical incidents pcturesquey wa,
part of the genius of the man. Very few, in
with him in descriptive narrative. The NUN
ber of successful historical novelists wou d
not occupy much space. Alfred De Viguy,
Dumas, and Miss Evans that was (Mrs. Lewss
that is) would be the only ones to whom the
first position in this class can be assigned.
The novels of Cling Mars, Marguerite de
Valois, and Romola, by the writers just
nl al
Scott's, superior to any historical romance
that we possess. Prussian history
itself is as strange and as interesting
as any fiction. When we consider that
inl the time of the first Frederic the country
even around Berlin was desert, the ancient
forests had scarcely been touched. The history
of the father of Frederic the Great alone is
more interesting than any event we can thiHk
OF in the best works of fiction. Many years
ago there appeared a work, written in French,
purporting to be by theMargravine de Bareuth,
the favorite sister of the great frederic. Her
description of the Prussan and of some of the
smaller German courts, is amusing in the ex-
treme. AS we believe this work is scarce, We
will give our readers an idea Of its general
character by few extracts.
Among the laughable gossip of her own mar
riage, che says the fatal evening arrives, and
she, the princess, wears train forty five feet in
length and the spousal crown placed on
twenty-four twisted locks of false hair each
thicker than her own. Her journey to her
husbands Court is thus described: 1.
overturned several times and obliged to walk
half the way, as also are her attendants on the
journey. At length arriving at the ancient
principslity, the grand marshal and all thu
nobility are mustered to receive her at tn,
bottom of the staircase, or on the rounds o
the wooden ladder which led to her apart
ments. She thus speaks of the company a
dinner:-They, meaning the grand company
all had faces she says which child could no
look on without screaming; huge masses G
hair on their heads, filed with race of verm
asanOient as their pedigrees; ;clothed in old lace