Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/360

 322 Readings in European History long, willingly fail him, and in spite of his disfavor I am still, with most dutiful and childlike respect, my dear papa's Most obedient and faithful servant and son, Frederick. Frederick William replied: 359a. Fred- A bad, obstinate boy, who does not love his father; for erick Wil- w hen one does one's best, and especially when one loves one's father, one does what he wishes not only when he is standing by but when he is not there to see. Moreover you know very well that I cannot stand an effeminate fellow who has no manly tastes, who cannot ride or shoot (to his shame be it said !), is untidy about his person, and wears his hair curled like a fool instead of cutting it ; and that I have con- demned all these things a thousand times, and yet there is no sign of improvement. For the rest, haughty, ofhsh as a country lout, conversing with none but a favored few in- stead of being affable and popular, grimacing like a fool, and never following my wishes out of love for me but only when forced into it, caring for nothing but to have his own way, and thinking nothing else is of any importance. This is my answer. Frederick William. VI. Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War opened disastrously for Fred- erick the Great. His only ally against all Europe was England. In spite of a victory over the French at Rossbach (November 5, 1757), his situation, which he describes in the following address to his generals, was a very critical one. But so great was his military skill and the valor of the soldiers, whom he inspired with his own fiery confidence, that on December 5 he won the battle of Leuthen against tremendous odds, — a victory which Napoleon declared would alone have entitled him to rank among the greatest generals.