Fritz's number one criterion for people he interacted with: will let him tell them what to do and how to do it. Can you say "control issues", Fritz?
"that I buy his mind for two florins, and that I enjoy his works without exposing myself to his wickedness."
Uh huh. Remember that in a few years, Fritz, when you're all "Greetings and letters do not replace Voltaire if one has once has had him in persona" to W's daughter.
Presumably it's also the one Catt describes Fritz as "devouring with his eyes"
Alas, Catt doesn't start working for Fritz until March 1758, so it's a little too late to be the October 1757 one. (We know Fritz did this to like EVERY SINGLE letter from Voltaire, right?)
Also, having gone back and reread your quote from this letter, it looks like Preuss excised the "I, too, would have been in a mood to die when I lost my country because of you and my niece was dragged through the streets of Frankfurt on your orders" bit. Does not make Fritz look good, I guess?
Also, wow that is one shade-throwing, needling letter to talk Fritz out of suicide. "Think of all the awful things they'll say about you after your death, and also remember that you're no angel, and we've all survived *your* mistreatments." It's basically a challenge to live.
...Do you think Wilhelmine anticipated this when she asked Voltaire to write to Fritz?
Re: Fritz and Wilhelmine Correspondance, Trier Version II - OMG Voltaire!
Fritz's number one criterion for people he interacted with: will let him tell them what to do and how to do it. Can you say "control issues", Fritz?
"that I buy his mind for two florins, and that I enjoy his works without exposing myself to his wickedness."
Uh huh. Remember that in a few years, Fritz, when you're all "Greetings and letters do not replace Voltaire if one has once has had him in persona" to W's daughter.
Presumably it's also the one Catt describes Fritz as "devouring with his eyes"
Alas, Catt doesn't start working for Fritz until March 1758, so it's a little too late to be the October 1757 one. (We know Fritz did this to like EVERY SINGLE letter from Voltaire, right?)
Also, having gone back and reread your quote from this letter, it looks like Preuss excised the "I, too, would have been in a mood to die when I lost my country because of you and my niece was dragged through the streets of Frankfurt on your orders" bit. Does not make Fritz look good, I guess?
Also, wow that is one shade-throwing, needling letter to talk Fritz out of suicide. "Think of all the awful things they'll say about you after your death, and also remember that you're no angel, and we've all survived *your* mistreatments." It's basically a challenge to live.
...Do you think Wilhelmine anticipated this when she asked Voltaire to write to Fritz?