Catt replies with an almost exact summary of an anonymous pamphlet/ short book about AW which presumably he'd looked up for the memoirs when writing them
That is super interesting, especially in the context of the textual criticism I'm about to post. Because I can find no mention of Katte in the diary, so either he's going from memory, or he looked something up. And his and Voltaire's accounts being so similar, I wonder if they both looked up the same account, relied on the same oral account floating around, or if (this seems unlikely, but) Catt looked up Voltaire's, fleshed it out, and put it into Fritz's mouth. If so, he was writing some historical fiction, because Voltaire's account reads like a summary of Catt's and not vice versa, but...if they didn't both get their account from Fritz, I sort of feel like they may have gotten it from the same place.
Anyway, you'll see what I mean shortly.
Iin addition to all the dreams you already mentioned, the late in the 7 Years War one where he dreams about his father and the late old Dessau and asks "did I do well?", telling old Dessau their approval means the world to him is sooo telling.
I did in fact mention that one, but it was long ago and far away, so it bears repeating. I must mention that I even linked to TV Tropes for the "Well done, son" remark, though! Behold:
"And also that dream where Fritz asked his father what he thought of what he'd done with the kingdom he inherited, and FW said 'Well done, Son,' and Fritz told his father that his approval meant more to him than anything in the universe, UGH, Fritz, please get a therapist that hasn't been invented yet. Also *hug*."
On a lighter note, all those instances of "Voltaire is the worst! Did I tell you how Voltaire is the lowest of the low characters yet today, Catt? OMG A LETTER FROM VOLTAIRE!!!!" are awesome.
I KNOW RIGHT? Hopelessly smitten. The thing is, this isn't actually surprising, or shouldn't be, because even before Voltaire came to stay with him, he was telling everyone how Voltaire was the lowest of the low, and "OH GOD I WANT HIM SO BAD, freaking Émilie. Freaking indissoluble bonds. *pouts*"
And yes, it was fun (I mean, interesting in a tragic sort of way) seeing the ode come up in your summary of their correspondence, having seen Catt's perspective. :(
Re: Catt
That is super interesting, especially in the context of the textual criticism I'm about to post. Because I can find no mention of Katte in the diary, so either he's going from memory, or he looked something up. And his and Voltaire's accounts being so similar, I wonder if they both looked up the same account, relied on the same oral account floating around, or if (this seems unlikely, but) Catt looked up Voltaire's, fleshed it out, and put it into Fritz's mouth. If so, he was writing some historical fiction, because Voltaire's account reads like a summary of Catt's and not vice versa, but...if they didn't both get their account from Fritz, I sort of feel like they may have gotten it from the same place.
Anyway, you'll see what I mean shortly.
Iin addition to all the dreams you already mentioned, the late in the 7 Years War one where he dreams about his father and the late old Dessau and asks "did I do well?", telling old Dessau their approval means the world to him is sooo telling.
I did in fact mention that one, but it was long ago and far away, so it bears repeating. I must mention that I even linked to TV Tropes for the "Well done, son" remark, though! Behold:
"And also that dream where Fritz asked his father what he thought of what he'd done with the kingdom he inherited, and FW said 'Well done, Son,' and Fritz told his father that his approval meant more to him than anything in the universe, UGH, Fritz, please get a therapist that hasn't been invented yet. Also *hug*."
On a lighter note, all those instances of "Voltaire is the worst! Did I tell you how Voltaire is the lowest of the low characters yet today, Catt? OMG A LETTER FROM VOLTAIRE!!!!" are awesome.
I KNOW RIGHT? Hopelessly smitten. The thing is, this isn't actually surprising, or shouldn't be, because even before Voltaire came to stay with him, he was telling everyone how Voltaire was the lowest of the low, and "OH GOD I WANT HIM SO BAD, freaking Émilie. Freaking indissoluble bonds. *pouts*"
And yes, it was fun (I mean, interesting in a tragic sort of way) seeing the ode come up in your summary of their correspondence, having seen Catt's perspective. :(