Oh, and the reason why Mildred and I are making slight fun of various early 20th century editors is that they tend to reassure their readers in the introduction that entries like this are just, you, know, typical 18th century emo, times were different then:
"1 May 1753: the most miserable day of my life, because Prince Heinrich is leaving; I go to see him, my heart full of grief. I hurry to my dear prince, what a sorrowful meeting! I leave him without a word, I see tears pouring down his face, the dearest in the world, what a man to be worshipped, what a loss for me, I swear eternal devotion. I return to my home in sorrow and cannot sleep, I write my prince a letter.
2 May I: get a letter from him which makes me burst into tears. I jump on my horse and ride to meet him, but when I see his carriage approaching I get off and hide, otherwise my heart would have burst. I did not think that one person could be so devoted to another; in pagan times they would have made him a God.
Bear in mind that Heinrich isn't leaving the country or going to war at this point, he's just having to attend brother Fritz in Potsdam for a few days. Then again, he and Lehndorff are both in their early to mid 20s. And some of it is Rokoko emo - we're talking about an era where it was normal to sign "your devoted servant" and greet people whose guts you hated with "my dear, most honored cousin and brother", and where the male code of conduct was not just okay with tears, they were expected. (Seriously. Everyone turns on the waterworks all the time. This causes 19th century and 20th century editors no little embarassment.) But Lehndorff after the early crushing days and with the full awareness that his dearest of Princes was a flawed human being after all kept up the affection.
Re: My Englishmanm, or: Heinrich Who?
"1 May 1753: the most miserable day of my life, because Prince Heinrich is leaving; I go to see him, my heart full of grief. I hurry to my dear prince, what a sorrowful meeting! I leave him without a word, I see tears pouring down his face, the dearest in the world, what a man to be worshipped, what a loss for me, I swear eternal devotion. I return to my home in sorrow and cannot sleep, I write my prince a letter.
2 May I: get a letter from him which makes me burst into tears. I jump on my horse and ride to meet him, but when I see his carriage approaching I get off and hide, otherwise my heart would have burst. I did not think that one person could be so devoted to another; in pagan times they would have made him a God.
Bear in mind that Heinrich isn't leaving the country or going to war at this point, he's just having to attend brother Fritz in Potsdam for a few days. Then again, he and Lehndorff are both in their early to mid 20s. And some of it is Rokoko emo - we're talking about an era where it was normal to sign "your devoted servant" and greet people whose guts you hated with "my dear, most honored cousin and brother", and where the male code of conduct was not just okay with tears, they were expected. (Seriously. Everyone turns on the waterworks all the time. This causes 19th century and 20th century editors no little embarassment.) But Lehndorff after the early crushing days and with the full awareness that his dearest of Princes was a flawed human being after all kept up the affection.