X
On one occasion he remarked: "Frederick of Prussia said very truly:
'Every one must save himself in his own way.' He also said: 'Argue as
much as you like, but obey.' But when dying he confessed: 'I have grown
weary of ruling slaves.' So-called great men are always terribly
contradictory: that is forgiven them with all their other follies.
Though contradictoriness is not folly: a fool is stubborn, but does not
know how to contradict himself. Yes, Frederick was a strange man:
among the Germans he won the reputation of being the best king, yet he
could not bear them; he disliked even Goethe and Willand."
