Fritz's number one criterion for people he interacted with: will let him tell them what to do and how to do it.
See, this is why simultanously finding people willing to emotionally top and take the initiative is a bit tricky. Voltaire, of course, would totally be willing to emotionally top, but no dice with the being told what to do and how to do it. (Unless you're Émilie and in possession of the key.)
We know Fritz did this to like EVERY SINGLE letter from Voltaire, right?
Naturally! With the possible exception of the letter in attempted German to Fredersdorf.
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?
Indeed. I mean, I just read the first sentence of the Preuss Magnum Opus of a biography because I really don't have the time, but good Lord. Der einzige König, natch, but also the greatest of all time, the most wonderful, the *insert hyperventilating attribute here*
Also, wow that is one shade-throwing, needling letter to talk Fritz out of suicide.
Well, yes. In less Voltairian language, I'd phrase it as "Stop with with the 'Woe is me!' already. If you die now, you won't be regarded as a dead hero, Europe will dance on your grave. Do you want that? Guess what, the rest of us have depressions, too, occasionally whenn you've been an asshole towards us, and we muddle through them. Also, even in case you lose and become an ex-king: are you seriously telling me you wouldn't be able to cut it as a private citizen? You? Get a hold on yourself, and prove to me all that talk about how you're a philosopher wasn't just that, all talk! P.S. Write back."
...Do you think Wilhelmine anticipated this when she asked Voltaire to write to Fritz?
Whatever works? More seriously, no, I guess she expected something more on the lines of "you're still my favourite insufferable Monarch, I do love you, and I'd never write another word if you died, so please survive?"
Then again: In 1757, Wilhelmine knew that she herself was most likely not going to live for so many years more, whether or not she expected to make it through the next year. And there weren't that many people left whom Fritz could be guaranteed to not ignore but take into account what they said (whether or not they listened).
And also: as pointed out above, Voltaire is the only one of her brother's boyfriends men he's intellectually in love with whom Wilhelmine not only likes but seems to be actively rooting for (as in, wanting the two getting back together again). (Figures she'd pick the only shady one of the lot. She's a Hohenzollern.) (Yes, she likes Algarotti, too, but you don't see her forwarding letters there, do you.)
Re: Fritz and Wilhelmine Correspondance, Trier Version II - OMG Voltaire!
See, this is why simultanously finding people willing to emotionally top and take the initiative is a bit tricky. Voltaire, of course, would totally be willing to emotionally top, but no dice with the being told what to do and how to do it. (Unless you're Émilie and in possession of the key.)
We know Fritz did this to like EVERY SINGLE letter from Voltaire, right?
Naturally! With the possible exception of the letter in attempted German to Fredersdorf.
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?
Indeed. I mean, I just read the first sentence of the Preuss Magnum Opus of a biography because I really don't have the time, but good Lord. Der einzige König, natch, but also the greatest of all time, the most wonderful, the *insert hyperventilating attribute here*
Also, wow that is one shade-throwing, needling letter to talk Fritz out of suicide.
Well, yes. In less Voltairian language, I'd phrase it as "Stop with with the 'Woe is me!' already. If you die now, you won't be regarded as a dead hero, Europe will dance on your grave. Do you want that? Guess what, the rest of us have depressions, too, occasionally whenn you've been an asshole towards us, and we muddle through them. Also, even in case you lose and become an ex-king: are you seriously telling me you wouldn't be able to cut it as a private citizen? You? Get a hold on yourself, and prove to me all that talk about how you're a philosopher wasn't just that, all talk! P.S. Write back."
...Do you think Wilhelmine anticipated this when she asked Voltaire to write to Fritz?
Whatever works? More seriously, no, I guess she expected something more on the lines of "you're still my favourite
insufferableMonarch, I do love you, and I'd never write another word if you died, so please survive?"Then again: In 1757, Wilhelmine knew that she herself was most likely not going to live for so many years more, whether or not she expected to make it through the next year. And there weren't that many people left whom Fritz could be guaranteed to not ignore but take into account what they said (whether or not they listened).
And also: as pointed out above, Voltaire is the only one of her brother's
boyfriendsmen he's intellectually in love with whom Wilhelmine not only likes but seems to be actively rooting for (as in, wanting the two getting back together again). (Figures she'd pick the only shady one of the lot. She's a Hohenzollern.) (Yes, she likes Algarotti, too, but you don't see her forwarding letters there, do you.)