Ernest Lavisse 
Youth of Frederick the Great 

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Nature, who has prepared certain countries and constructed birthplaces for nations, did not foresee Prussia. In fact, there does not exist a geographical Prussia either as a race or region: Germany is the daughter of nature, but Prussia was made by men.<br><br>In 1713, a man began to reign at Berlin, who was born a military monomaniac. It pleased this sovereign of eighteen hundred thousand poor subjects to have as strong an army as that of Austria, that is to say, of an empire of more than twenty million people. This passion regulated the thoughts, habits, and life of Frederick William I. As it was a morbid and restricted mania, it was sufficient unto itself, and required no exterior manifestations. The King-Sergeant loved his army as Harpagon his treasure; his eyes delighted at the sight of his battalions as the miser’s hands at the fluent contact of the gold pieces. Harpagon took his gold from the coffer only to contemplate it; when the regiments of Frederick William left their garrisons it was for display at grand reviews; they returned to them immediately.