The Duke is rather excited - a good thing after the sorrowful days he has had lately. A visitor is expected tonight a man of learning and wisdom - Herr Kant of Konigsberg. Herr Kant has written recently about the Universe and galaxies in particular. The Duke ,after a correspondence lasting some weeks , has asked Herr Kant to stay for a few days so that they might converse at length. A knock comes to the study door and the footman announces the arrival of Herr Kant. He is ushered into the presence of the Duke. Karl Frederick's face lights up and the two men warmly shake hands.Herr Kant is smiling too.
Kant's mother was Scottish--is the Duke attempting an opening to the Edinburgher and Glaswegian intelligentsia?
ReplyDeleteThe Kant family itself was from Scotland as well, it seems. Kant's grandfather emigrated from Scotland, and his father retained the Scottish spelling of his name as "Cant."
ReplyDeleteThe membership of the Select Society in Edinburgh would no doubt respond favorably to such a personality as an emissary testifying to the Duke's enlightened Weltanschauung.