But growing in wisdom as she was, she knew that those moments when she and Sophia Charlotte were together could not have been quite so rapturously wonderful if there had been perpetual contentment.
For Sophia Charlotte there were the petty displays of pomp for which she had no feeling; there was the fact that she was married to a man whom she could not love; there were anxieties about the wild nature of her only son—but from all these she had her escape, and she and Caroline were together every day.
So the golden years began to pass and Caroline was growing into a handsome young woman.
Caroline's greatest friend in Berlin, next of course to Sophia Charlotte, was Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and from him she first became deeply aware of the family at Hanover.
Leibniz had come to Lutzenburg to visit Sophia Charlotte from Hanover, bringing messages from the Electress Sophia and when Caroline began her friendship with him he was in his late fifties. Recognized as one of the most learned men in Europe, he was both philosopher and mathematician, and had originally made a name for himself at two universities and later by the ideas he presented through his writing.
The Electress Sophia, Sophia Charlotte's mother, had welcomed him at Hanover; and because Leibniz was a man who had a great respect for money and position, he allowed himself to be seduced from the universities to the Courts of Princes where he hoped to make his fortune.
The Electress Sophia had given him charge of the archives at the Hanoverian Palace and one of his main duties was to write for the glorification of the house of Hanover.
Sophia, whose favourite child was Sophia Charlotte, liked her daughter to share in her pleasures and so she sent Leibniz to Lutzenburg.
Sophia Charlotte had welcomed him to her band of philosophers and Leibniz was delighted to linger in such an enchanting place. He would sit in the arbours and conduct a discussion between Vota the Catholic, Beausobre, the Huguenot preacher and Toland the English freethinker, while Sophia Charlotte and Caroline listened and now and then offered an opinion. It was all very interesting and as Sophia Charlotte often said if only the same good sense could be shown all over the world as was seen in her arbours and salons, there would be no bloodshed over religion, for men would put their views forward in argument not by torture and the stake.
Although Leibniz was contented at Lutzenburg he often talked affectionately of Hanover.
One day when her son Frederick William had been more difficult than usual Sophia Charlotte spoke to Liebniz of her anxieties about the boy. Caroline was present.
"He seems to grow quite unmanageable," sighed Sophia Charlotte. "His governors and tutors have no power over him."
Caroline frowned to see her adored Sophia Charlotte so worried. The boy was an anxiety. He was several years younger than she was but had begun to notice her. She was thinking of an episode which had occurred a few days before. He had pulled her hair so hard that she had cried out with the pain; then he had held her captive and attempted to kiss her, and when she had protested he had laughed at her.
"My mother will try to marry us to each other one day so I should like to try you first," he had told her.
"You are insolent," Caroline had retorted.
"And you give yourself airs. Madam Caroline. You should go down on your knees and beg me to marry you."
"That I should never do to anyone . . . least of all you."
"And why least of all me, pray? You should be very grateful for me ... if you can get me. Do you realize that I shall be the King of Prussia one day. You do not answer, Madam Caroline."
"I was too busy feeling sorry for Prussia."
She had turned and walked away. "Don't worry. Madam Caroline," he had called after her. "My father would never agree to let me marry you. You're a nobody ... a nobody! Not good enough for marriage with the King of Prussia."
Yes, he was an insufferable boy and she disliked him. She was only sorry that Sophia Charlotte cared so much for him, which was of course understandable since he was her only son ... her own son which must be different from an adopted daughter.
So now she listened intently to what his mother was saying to Gottfried Leibniz.
"He has not enough discipline here," was Leibniz's verdict. "There are no other boys of his equal. The grooms and squires he spends his days with are in awe of him. He needs to be treated roughly by his equals. Why not send him to Hanover where he could be with his cousins."
"You think Hanover ... at this time ... is a good place for him to be?"
"The best possible place. There he can become friends with his cousin, George Augustus, and find he doesn't get all his own way."
"I often think of those poor children. Do they miss their mother much?"
"It is long ago since they saw her."
"But to know that she is kept a prisoner in Ahlden! Do they never ask for her, want to see her."
"Oh yes. George Augustus often speaks of her. I have heard that he remembers her well and talks of rescuing her."
"And my brother?"
"The Prince Elector behaves as though he never had a wife. He is happy enough as matter stands. He has his heir George Augustus and his daughter Sophia Dorothea."
"The fact that she is named after her mother must remind him."
"He gives no sign. He continues to amuse himself "
"With Ermengarda Schulemburg?"
"She remains his favourite."
Sophia Charlotte shivered. "And you think my son would be better off at Hanover I "
"Your mother's there to take good care of him."
"Yes," answered Sophia Charlotte, "there is my mother."
And as a result Frederick William was sent to Hanover.
Gottfried Leibniz liked to gossip with Caroline when they were not discussing deeper matters. He had a great admiration for the Electress Sophia, the mother of Sophia Charlotte, and he liked to chat about the court of Hanover; and since this had once been the home of her beloved Sophia Charlotte it was of great interest to Caroline.
How different a childhood Sophia Charlotte had had from Caroline's! And yet about her had whirled similar storms and passions to those with which Caroline had become acquainted at Dresden. The story of Sophia Dorothea of Hanover was far more tragic than that of Caroline's mother, for while fate had intervened to save the latter, poor Sophia Dorothea had had no such help.
Leibniz gossiped often of that tragic affair; he talked of George Lewis, Sophia Charlotte's elder brother whom as a man without learning he despised.
"If you could imagine the complete opposite of our gracious Electress Sophia Charlotte that would be her brother."
"He sounds quite loathsome," declared Caroline.
"I think that is the opinion of almost everyone except Ermengarda Schulemburg and one or two other of his favoured ladies."
"Tell me about his children."
"George Augustus is about your age ... a few months younger perhaps. He is like his father in many ways, but I think he might be an improvement on him. He is fond of music. The only sign of culture these Hanoverians have is a love of music. Literature ... art ... philosophy ... don't exist for them."
"How could the Electress have such a brother."
"She resembles her mother. The Electress Sophia is one of the cleverest women I have ever known."
"Surely not cleverer than her daughter?"
"When the Electress of Brandenburg is as old as her mother she will be as wise. I can't give her higher praise than that."
"I should like to meet the Electress Sophia."
"You will one day. She often talks of visiting her daughter. Our Electress is her favourite child."
"I can well understand that."
"I believe you and Electress Sophia would be good friends."
"Tell me more of her. Tell me about Sophia Charlotte's childhood."