New-York tribune., 1902-02-01
FREDERICK THE GREAT
CURIOUS DOCUMENT AsCRIBED TO
HIS PEN.
FREDERICK THE GREAT ON KINGCRAFT
From the original Ms. With "reminiscences and
Turkish stories BY Sir !. William Whital

Turkish stories. BY Sir ]. William whittall
Octave pp. viii. 236. Longmans, Green & co.
In the year 1916 Charles whittall, an English
merchant in Smyrna. gave shelter and hiding to
two Frenchmen who had been picked up by one
of his vessels in an open boat off the Island Of
Malta They turned out TO be Marshal Savary
Duke Of Rovigo. and General Lalemand. whom
the Bourbons in France were trying to capture
and punish for their share in the death Of the
Duke OF Enghien. As a mark Of his gratitude to
the Englishman Savary allowed him to copy
manuscript that he regarded as so precious
that he kept 1t on his person at all times. 1t is
alleged to have been and Sir William Whittan,
grandson Of the who made the copy, ener-
getically upholds its claims TO being, manu-
script of Frederick the Great, that Savary ap-
propriated when, in company with Napoleon, he
visited Sans Souci, Frederck's palace at Pots
dam, after the capture of Berlin. 1t is the
Prussian Kings so-caled "Matnees," pub
lished in part several times after 1916. but now
according 10 Sir William Whttall, complete for
the first time. Carlyle goes to considerable
trouble TO show that Frederick could not have
been the author Of the 'Matinees," because as
the author Of this book says the precious piece
Of writing invalidated his whole theory OF Fred
erick's character. Sir William whittall is
WINGED Of the authenticity cf the manuscript
and Of the good faith of Savary.
He has given in this book English transla-
ton of il, and also the French original. with all
the errors in spelling that he assumes TO have
been made by Frederick himself. To this he
has added i series of entertaining "reminiscences
of his family. long resident and prominent in the
Levant as merchants of high repute; and last
OF all, a collection of Turkish stories and par
ables gathered by himself through his intimate
knowledge of the language and people 1t is
thus a book of somewhat i'll assorted contents,
except for those whose interest lies chiefly with
the fortunes Of the Whittall family: but its
component parts all have value of their own.
Frederick the Greats manuscript is addressed
to his nephew. and instructs him in the duties
and true policy of king ascertained and
practised by himself; it also gives various reve-
lations as to his own motives and his view of
some of his achievements more cynical docu-
ment it would be hard imagine. He holds his
kingdom and its inhabitants in Religion
is absolutely necessary to a state. but
Nothing exercises a greater tyranny over he
spirit and the heart than religion, because il
does not accord with our passions nor with the
great political views which monarch must
have. Do wish to make treaty
with a power? If only remember that
are Christians all is lost, we shall always be
duped AS for war. it Is profession in which
the smallest scruple would spoil everything. AS
a matter of fact who is the honest man who
would make war If he had not the right TO
make rules that would permit piage, fire and
carnage?
He is equally frank and cynical in all that
relates to the government of his kingdom.
Justice is, of course, due, but how easily clever
princes the alteration of their sub
jects by pretending to be touched by the mis-
fortunes that litigation brings in it's trainI He
has succeeded in passing for an author but
between ourselves, the Of great wits is an
accursed one
l like to be praised, and D'AIembert never
hut fO fa1 ma Ohl vin
Noltaire is not Of such a character, therefore 1
drove him away.
In public his German cook prepares his dinner,
and his subjects consider him the soberest of
princes. In private his French cook does all he
to satisfy him-and he is somewhat fas-
tidious. In the management of his army he
shows liberality and severity where each will
do the most good, and is particular to make
every officer think he is known to him. AS to
his own prowess a strategist he is most
unreserved. The Marshal dAnhalt and de
Schwerin ordered the battles. and I was only
fgurehead" Since the latters death he has
committed several acts of folly and strategical
mistakes which he enumerates. And, on the
whole. events had to do with making
me great than my talents and my forces"
1t is little difficult TO take all this and much
more Of the same sort genuine. even with
out an exalted idea of Frederick's character It
give the precious nephew notion Of how TO be
a king than TO hold his royal uncle in con-
tempt. 1t gives away too much for too little
return. or prospect of return, for the benefit
of another And so selfish and calculating
nature as this paper would make out Freder-
icks TO have been would scarcely have been
guilty of such weakness However this NAV
be, the publication is interesting as completing
document that has appeared before in part
and that was deemed worthy by Carlyle of
notice and denunciation
The history Of the Whittall family given in
the latter half of the book is curious and
remarkable one. The grandfather settled in
Smyrna as the agent of English merchant
and of the last surviving members Of
the Levant Company. He married the daughter
Of Venetian family, Cortazzi, originally Of
Byzantine origin, that left Smyrna in the
twelfth century and took part in variegated
Oriental history. TIE grandfather exercised a
lavish hospitality. and he entertained the Sultan
Abdul-Azz:
He not only stayed at the house, hut partook
Of the dinner cooked by our own cook proba bly,
unique thing for Sultan do, seeing we
were not Mussumans. The dinner was served
noon in the dining ROOM The Sultan went
into the room, and then suddenly went out and
ordered the food to be served in my grand
fathers bedroom, a little table there was
in it, He was pleased with the quality of
the food that he said TO his attendants: Ma
shaIla, have not tasted such good food even in
my palace" and he ordered two of the dishes
TO he kept for his evening meal
Sir William WhittalI spent more than fifty
years in Turkey and among the Turks: and
owing to his knowledge of Oriental languages
he was able to travel in the widest districts
dressed Turk, and thoroughly disguised