FOLLOWED THE happy years. Life at Lützenburg offered even more than Caroline had dared hope for; here were pleasures which she had not known existed. There was luxury to compare with that of the Dresden court but here it went hand in hand with good taste and the adventures were those of the mind.
Sophia Charlotte had attracted to Lützenburg some of the most interesting men of the age. Her wit and charm, her unusual intelligence, and her power over the man who was one of the most important Electors in Germany sent them flocking to her court.
Her love of everything beautiful was evident in the castle. She had collected together pictures and exquisite furniture, some of the latter inlaid with porcelain, crystal, ivory and ebony. Everything in the castle was rare and beautiful; but in spite of its grandeur, ostentation was avoided.
There was no other castle in Germany where so many interesting people gathered; and this reason was due to the mistress of Lützenburg. Here came men of diverse religious opinions – Catholics, Protestants, and Freethinkers. There was nothingSophia Charlotte enjoyed more than to bring these men together, encourage them to discuss their views, and herself join in the discourse. Philosophers, historians, artists, literary men, all came to her salons, wandered in her gardens, talked learnedly with each other; and it was Sophia Charlotte’s hope that one day because they had been able to meet at her home they would discover some way of welding the various versions of Christianity together and make a more tolerant society in which men and women could discuss their ideas freely, without fear.
The coming of Caroline to Lützenburg had been a great joy to her. She had been drawn to the girl from the first, since she had always wanted a daughter, and she had been distressed when she had heard rumours of what was happening in Saxony; she had blamed herself for having encouraged the marriage and by making herself Caroline’s guardian she had hoped to salve her conscience. But what had begun as a duty had become a joy, and when Caroline had been with her a few months she wondered how she could ever endure to be parted from her. However, that should not be until she had found a suitable husband for her, and secretly she hoped to avoid separation by marrying her ward to her own son Frederick William. Her husband, indulgent as he was, would no doubt oppose that match, for Frederick William was one of the most desirable matches in Germany whereas Caroline had nothing to offer but her beauty, her charm and that alert mind which Sophia Charlotte determined should have all the advantages she could give it.
Neither Sophia Charlotte nor Caroline made any attempt to hide the attraction they felt for each other. The love which had sprung up between them was too deep to be denied. For Sophia Charlotte, Caroline was the perfect companion, intelligent, inquiring, loving learning for its own sake and not only because she wished to please Sophia Charlotte by her grasp of it. And for Caroline, the goddess she had worshipped from the distance was now a loving friend and guardian who had lost none of her perfections through intimacy.
They were constantly together; Sophia Charlotte supervised Caroline’s education, which was not only a matter of schoolroom lessons. They would walk together in those magnificent gardens made by Le Nôtre in the manner of Versailles; theywould sit in arbours and talk with Sophia Charlotte’s visitors who knew that if they would please her they must take seriously the young girl on whom she doted.
This was not difficult, for the young Princess Caroline had much to contribute, and in the warmth of discussion her youth was forgotten.
When Caroline had been at Lützenburg a year Saxony had become like an uneasy nightmare, something that is only remembered now and then. This was her real life, surrounded by beauty, culture and above all love – the love of the person she loved best in the
Sophia Charlotte had attracted to Lützenburg some of the most interesting men of the age. Her wit and charm, her unusual intelligence, and her power over the man who was one of the most important Electors in Germany sent them flocking to her court.
Her love of everything beautiful was evident in the castle. She had collected together pictures and exquisite furniture, some of the latter inlaid with porcelain, crystal, ivory and ebony. Everything in the castle was rare and beautiful; but in spite of its grandeur, ostentation was avoided.
There was no other castle in Germany where so many interesting people gathered; and this reason was due to the mistress of Lützenburg. Here came men of diverse religious opinions – Catholics, Protestants, and Freethinkers. There was nothingSophia Charlotte enjoyed more than to bring these men together, encourage them to discuss their views, and herself join in the discourse. Philosophers, historians, artists, literary men, all came to her salons, wandered in her gardens, talked learnedly with each other; and it was Sophia Charlotte’s hope that one day because they had been able to meet at her home they would discover some way of welding the various versions of Christianity together and make a more tolerant society in which men and women could discuss their ideas freely, without fear.
The coming of Caroline to Lützenburg had been a great joy to her. She had been drawn to the girl from the first, since she had always wanted a daughter, and she had been distressed when she had heard rumours of what was happening in Saxony; she had blamed herself for having encouraged the marriage and by making herself Caroline’s guardian she had hoped to salve her conscience. But what had begun as a duty had become a joy, and when Caroline had been with her a few months she wondered how she could ever endure to be parted from her. However, that should not be until she had found a suitable husband for her, and secretly she hoped to avoid separation by marrying her ward to her own son Frederick William. Her husband, indulgent as he was, would no doubt oppose that match, for Frederick William was one of the most desirable matches in Germany whereas Caroline had nothing to offer but her beauty, her charm and that alert mind which Sophia Charlotte determined should have all the advantages she could give it.
Neither Sophia Charlotte nor Caroline made any attempt to hide the attraction they felt for each other. The love which had sprung up between them was too deep to be denied. For Sophia Charlotte, Caroline was the perfect companion, intelligent, inquiring, loving learning for its own sake and not only because she wished to please Sophia Charlotte by her grasp of it. And for Caroline, the goddess she had worshipped from the distance was now a loving friend and guardian who had lost none of her perfections through intimacy.
They were constantly together; Sophia Charlotte supervised Caroline’s education, which was not only a matter of schoolroom lessons. They would walk together in those magnificent gardens made by Le Nôtre in the manner of Versailles; theywould sit in arbours and talk with Sophia Charlotte’s visitors who knew that if they would please her they must take seriously the young girl on whom she doted.
This was not difficult, for the young Princess Caroline had much to contribute, and in the warmth of discussion her youth was forgotten.
When Caroline had been at Lützenburg a year Saxony had become like an uneasy nightmare, something that is only remembered now and then. This was her real life, surrounded by beauty, culture and above all love – the love of the person she loved best in the
Similar Books
