Xinshun 1730

Chapter 613 Two Letters
For Frederick II, Euler used to have some good feelings.More importantly, he saw himself as the heir to the Leibniz Academy of Sciences, the Berlin Academy of Sciences that Leibniz had worked on.

Euler was not very familiar with Frederick II.

But last year, just after Frederick I died, his son, Frederick II, wrote a magnificent essay that shocked European high society, and Euler also read it in Petersburg.

The name of the book, coupled with the historical deeds of Frederick II, is very interesting.

"Anti-Machiavelli".

The preface at the beginning is expressing disdain for Machiavelli's "The Prince".

[Machiavelli corrupted politics and worked to destroy the precepts that were beneficial to man.I will defend mankind against this monster that wants to destroy mankind; I dare to question reason and justice, and oppose sophistry and crime; 】

[I have always thought The Prince to be one of the most dangerous books ever to circulate in the world; it is a book that falls naturally into the hands of princes, and makes one like the politics of it... But I think , Monarchs, they must uphold justice and set an example for their subjects; and must be worthy of respect by their kindness, tolerance, and benevolence...]

If you just read this preface, or flip through the content behind this book, you will be even more amazed.

Frederick II, who was later known for his treachery, absolute autocracy, "superior" diplomacy and "good" international reputation, which made Europe an enemy, denounced deceit and treachery in governing the country, and condemned unjust wars and destroy the enemy with violence.

Perhaps the first thing a Machiavellian does before coming to power is to oppose Machiavelli.

It is also possible that he was just venting his resentment towards his father, because his father was a loyal supporter of "The Prince", and when his father died and a final conclusion was needed, it would be difficult for a son who hated his father to speak directly of his father. No, then publish a book to vent your dissatisfaction.

His father was strict and fierce, and even beat him and his sister when they disagreed with each other during the meal.Frederick II's younger brother tried to flee to England with him and escaped from his father's clutches, but Frederick the elder executed Frederick's younger brother and let Frederick younger visit the execution.

But no matter what the reason is, after reading this book, Euler had a great impression of the Prussian king, thinking that this would be an enlightened, moral, and aspiring to work for the well-being of all mankind. king of Europe.

A, truly, philosopher king.

It is not like some kings who regard science, art, and philosophy as a luxury of vanity experience and showing their own high taste.

At least, that's what Euler thought before the War of the Austrian Succession broke out.

But not long ago, the enlightened monarch who criticized "The Prince" in the book, denounced deceit and treachery in governing the country, condemned unjust wars and wiped out enemies with violence, the first thing he did after he came to power was Abandoned the original promise and went to war with Austria, and it was still an undeclared war.

A year ago, he was still angrily denouncing deceit and treachery in governing the country, condemning unjust wars and destroying enemies with violence, and when he really became a monarch, he immediately shouted "really fragrant".

It's like Frederick II's description of his "weak and kind" cousin Queen Teresa when Poland was divided up by the three families a long time later: seeing Poland being divided up, the spear of Christ was destroyed.She cried, but she took it anyway.

She cried, but she took it anyway.

This is the monarch.

The same applies to Frederick II.

He opposed violence and unjust wars, but he still fought for Silesia's treachery and broke the peace treaty twice in a row.

This "Anti-Machiavelli" embellished by Voltaire, which promotes morality and justice, coupled with Frederick II's treachery and undeclared war, made Euler offer an olive branch to Frederick II. There was a great shake.

At least for now, it seems that this monarch just regards science, philosophy, and art as a luxury with a high price.

Those scientists, philosophers, perhaps no different from the court jesters kept by the bad-taste Russian Empress Anna, are a kind of embellishment that the monarch needs.

Some people like court clowns, some people like tall giant grenadiers, some people like scientists or philosophers around them, some people like to write tens of thousands of poems. Just the difference.

It’s just that wavering is wavering, even if wavering, Euler was ready to go to the Berlin Academy of Sciences before receiving the letter from the god who made friends from the distant Eastern Empire.

Mathematicians have to eat too.There are also wives and children.

The situation in Russia is so chaotic, so chaotic that even a mathematician like Euler, who doesn't care about politics, can see that there is going to be a big chaos.

Euler had a wife and more than a dozen children. Although many died young, he hoped that his wife and children could provide him with a decent life. At least not as in Russia, only five of the dozen children died.

Although Dashun's envoys had given him a lot of gifts and personal help in gold and silver when they came to Russia, it wasn't just about money.

It is the scientific atmosphere in Russia that has completely changed. It is no longer what it was when Peter the Great died.The nobles dictated to the people of the Academy of Sciences, regarded them as tools, and reduced the subsidies of the Academy of Sciences.

The Empress Anna was a poor taste, a standard German landowner, indifferent to the affairs of the Academy of Sciences, and thought that these people were of no great use-especially a mathematician, not even a craftsman who could make a flintlock.

Queen Anna once expressed her attitude towards the Academy of Sciences with the jesters: Can calculus govern the country?
In short, Euler is determined to leave Russia and take his wife and children to find a pure land.Even if he had doubts about what the new Prussian monarch was doing, there seemed to be no better place to go.

Even if that Frederick II is to fight against his father who disdains the Academy of Sciences everywhere; even if it is just for decoration, it is better to treat scientists as a decoration and hobby than court clowns and singing and dancing in Russia.

But now, Euler received another letter, it seems that going to Berlin is no longer the only option.

According to the letter, Liu Yu, who had corresponded several times because of the regular heptagon problem brought back by the Russian mission to China, was already the Marquis of Dashun and the president of the Academy of Sciences.

A Beijing Academy of Sciences, which is "blood-related" and is the ideological successor of the orthodox Leibniz Academy of Sciences, has started construction and is about to be completed.

This Academy of Sciences will carry the important task of "seeking the well-being of all mankind and exploring all the mysteries of the way of heaven".

The letter used a line from the ancient Roman epic poem "Aeneid":

[For all people, the life span is very short, and there is no rebirth after death, but the duty of a man of courage is to prolong his reputation by his merits. 】

【The stone of the tombstone may be weathered, decayed, and broken into sand, and the name engraved on it may be blurred and annihilated into dust.But the science behind the name, the math, and the truths that reveal how the world works, will live on forever.This will last longer than stone. 】

In addition to this kind of general high hat, the letter also uses the accumulated foundation before to make a metaphor.

Science has countless branches, just like countless seeds and sprouts that fall on the ground.

Rather than scientific mathematics, it is the necessary water for these seeds and sprouts.

The European seeds germinated a little, but there was too much moisture and excess mathematical ability.

The seeds of East Asia have germinated a lot, physics and chemistry, but too many have germinated, so that the "water of science" of mathematics is lacking.

Science is not like something that is true in Europe but not in Asia.Science belongs to all mankind, so if you want to maximize the efficiency of the well-being of all mankind and better reveal the origin of the world, you need to "divert water from west to east".

Let the excess mathematics water in Europe nourish the excess scientific germination in China, and use it to explain the mathematical principles behind the observed and summarized scientific laws.

And these budding fruits, after all, belong to all mankind.

In addition to these noble rhetoric, there are various benefits and material conditions of Dashun Academy of Sciences, etc. At the end of the letter, he sent an invitation to Euler as a correspondence friend and colleague, not as the Marquis of Dashun.

Seeing the generous conditions above and the sincere respect, Euler was already moved.The content of the letter is very detailed, which solved many of Euler's worries.

Including guaranteeing that there will be a ship every year, carrying scientific magazines and letters from Dashun, and maintaining communication with European countries.When Euler was in Russia, the correspondence with those friends and colleagues was also based on years.

There are also children's treatment, living security, academician status of the Department of Mathematics of the Academy of Sciences, and excellent graduate assistants and students.

At the end of the letter, it said that a high-level invitation team had been sent to various parts of Europe to invite top scholars from various countries to participate in the Science and Mathematics Symposium in Amsterdam.

In addition to showing Dashun's latest achievements on physics, chemistry, combustion principles, and conservation of matter, it will also unify mathematical symbols and standardize the naming of some units.

And promise not to discuss any political issues at the seminar, and will not be concerned about the other party's religious beliefs.

The round-trip travel expenses and living expenses will be reimbursed by the Dashun Mission to Europe.

After weighing the two letters, Euler made up his mind, whether it was due to the needs of life or curiosity about some scientific results to be displayed in Amsterdam.

He picked up the pen and wrote a reply letter to Frederick II, rejecting the invitation to go to the Berlin Academy of Sciences as the head of the Department of Mathematics.

They stayed in Petersburg, quietly waiting for the carriage from Dashun to pick them up and head to Amsterdam.He believed that he was a man of his word, and he would definitely not be stingy about traveling to Amsterdam, and would definitely send someone to pick him up.

…………

While Euler wrote to reject Frederick II's invitation, a letter with another purpose on the ship from Amsterdam was quietly sent to the French embassy in Petersburg.

Several people who were far apart and from different countries who wanted a coup in Russia were connected together through these letters and worked hard for a common goal.

(End of this chapter)