Demorest's Family Magazine. October 1881. Vol. 17, No

NO. CCI. OCTOBER, 1881. VOL. XVII. NO. 10. The story of the “Angel Oueen.” S OME few years since an intensely inter- in princely circles were regarded as some Olympus, they longed to walk upon our e s ting book, bearing the title “ Sixty- thing unfortunate, perhaps, but quite unavoid- cloudy shores, where the soul loves more be nine years at the Prussian Court,” was J able. cause she suffers more, and where, if there is published in Berlin, it being the diary She writes, ** The daily tortures I endured more sorrow, there is also greater warmth. of thts Countess Yon Voss, who in her made me resolve to leave the court, cost what They listened as Polyphemia endeavored to early years was maid of honor to the mother it would. The only way out was a marriage cheer and elevate the earth wanderers she met, of Frederick the Great, and in her later years with my cousin. I doubted, I feared; I had and they grieved because their throne was so Oberhofmeisterin to Queen Louise, mother of mo warmer feeling for my cousin than esteem, far removed from the sighs of the helpless. the present Emperor. but he knew my sad story and was satisfied. They then resolved to take our earthly nature Sophie Marie Pannewitz was bora in 1729, The idea of leaving the court and the prince | and forsake Olympus. But when, throwing her mother being a dear and intimate friend of forever was like tearing out my heartstrings, only sunlight and no shadow they touched the Sophie Dorothea, wife of Frederick I., and her hut it seemed the only way to cure him of his | first earth blossoms, Fate, the stern queen of father a prominent general. She herself was folly.” gods and men, raised her scepter and said, a girl of remarkable beauty and spirit, and was She was married in 1751, and saw but little ‘Immortals are mortal upon this earth, and introduced at court by order of the king in of the prince afterward. His sad fate is prob-1 spirits become human.’ So they became sis 1744. ably well known. In 1756, upon the breaking ters and human, and were called Louise, When Frederick II. or the Great ascended the out. of war with Austria, he was given high Charlotte, Theresa and Friederike.” throne, Fraulein Pannewitz continued to reside command in the army. But a faux pas which | Louise was but six years of age when her with the widowed queen, until forced to leave ended disastrously brought him under the mother died, and she was placed under the by most painful circumstances. The brother king’s displeasure, his health failed, and re charge of her maternal grandmother^ the of Frederick the Great, August William, had turning to Berlin he died, resolutely refusing Grand Duchess of Hesse-Darmstadt, who reared been married, by order of his father, when proffered aid. her in the most extreme simplicity. In 1793, only twenty years old, to a wife who cared After the death of Frederick the Great, the the princess met the Crown Prince of Prussia nothing for him, and who received all his at son of August William became king, with title at Frankfort on the Main on the occasion of tentions with freezing politeness. He was a of Frederick William III. The touching story some national festivity. The prince was after young man of prepossessing exterior and of of his father’s love for the lovely court lady ward heard to say that the first time he saw winning manners. Upon his first meeting was well known to him, and the fact that this her, an inward voice said to him, “ She must w’liti his mother's beautiful young Hofdame, fondly loved father had gone sadly and pre be your wife, or no one!” This impression he conceived for her a passion which only in maturely to his end, made her dear to the son, deepened the more he saw how the nobility of creased with time, and which endured until so that to the close of* his life he showed her her nature shone from every glance of her eye me, for him, was ended. That she returned almost filial love and courtesy. and spoke in every tone of her voice. his love is certain—she acknowledges as In 1793, the countess lost her husband, and When the wedding-day was appointed, the much in her diary—but her steady stand | retired to her estate with intention of remain- I king requested (and a request from such a against his advances, her unflinching purity ing there permanently. But in the spring of quarter was equivalent to an order) the Count- of purpose, was such as to gain for her the that year the crown prince was betrothed to I ess Von Voss to return to court and assume love and honor of the whole royal family, and the Princess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, I the duties of Oberhofmeisterin to his daughter- that, too, at a time when left-hand marriages then in her seventeenth year. This beautiful in-law. The countess essayed to excuse her princess was one of The four beautiful and self on account of her age, but that was rather noble sisters,” to whom Jean Paul dedicated j a reason in favor of her coming, since she • The portrait in oil of Queen Louise of Prussia, ac j companying this article, is coopied from a painting by his Titan. In this dedication the poet says, was so au fait in the customs, duties and Gustave Richter, in the Richang Wallraff Museum, in “ Aphrodite, Aglaja, Euphrosyne and Thalia j traditions of the Prussian Court, and Louise Cologne. looked down upon the earth and, weary of cold was so young and inexperienced. B B - 1 7 434 DEMOREST’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. On the 23d of December the youthful bride liam, was born, and her happiness was shared William and Louise were often to be seen made her entry into the capital. Every pos by the whole court. On the 22d of March, walking arm in arm through the streets and sible preparation for the stately reception of 1797, the birth of the third child is recorded, public gardens, without attendants such as their future queen had been made by the " The crown princess was quite ill all night, royalty is accustomed to have. Together they loyal Berliners. Among the numerous formal but at 1 a .m. the child was born. He is a fine visited the Christmas market, in the winter speeches from heads o f societies and the civic fellow, and his advent caused great joy." of 1797, patronizing several of the booths. In magistrates was a recitation o f some verses of one a poor woman stopped her bargaining and welcome by a little girl in behalf of the school “ April 3d.—This was the day for the bap drew aside in the presence of the king and children of the city. The princess, overcome tism. The queen, princes and princesses, all queen. “ Stay where you are, my good with feeling, caught the child in her arms and dined with us, as well as the ministers and woman,” said Louise, “ what will the trades kissed her on mouth, eyes and brows. The generals. Directly after dinner, we went to people say if we frighten away their custom people were delighted with this exhibition of the audience room, where i carried the child ers?” She then made kindly inquiry about motherly feeling for her subjects, which was to the king. Sack (court preacher) performed the woman's family, and then she found she indeed to be one of the chief characteristics of the service. The name was Frederick Wil had a son the same age as the crown prince, the noble queen. But the Oberhofmeisterin, liam Ludwig; but he is to be called William. the queen purchased some toys which she gave strict in her notions of propriety, exclaimed, After the ceremony, the king handed me the the delighted mother, saying, “ Pray give “ Mein Gott! what has your Royal Highness babe with some pleasant words, and he drove these trifles to your crown prince in the name done ? That is contrary to all etiquette ! ” away while the rest of us returned to the of mine.” These homely and touching stories “ And must I never do it again?” the crown princess." might be multiplied a thousandfold, and cause princess quietly asked. us to feel no surprise that the young queen On Christmas Eve, 1793, the marriage took “ April 10th.—At 1 o’clock this afternoon, I should have been almost adored by high and place in the White Salon o f the royal residence, received a note from the king accompanied by low. A book written at this time by Novalis, the altar standing under a magnificent bal- a medallion of crystal, set with large dia Ludwig Tieck's friend, and entitled “ Faith dachino of purple velvet embroidered with monds. I was delighted, and hastened to and Love, or the King and Queen,” gives a gold. “ After the numerous court receptions show it to the crown princess, before answer very fair and truthful statement of the feeling following this event were over,” says Countess ing the note.”—As the child mentioned in this which pervaded all ranks of society. Yon Voss, “ life in our palace was very quiet letter is now the noble and revered King of In 1798 the royal couple visited the eastern and home-like. The crown prince from the Prussia and Emperor of Germany, it may be and northern provinces of Prussia, to the joy first was a true friend to his wife.

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