But I think the scenario is still possible: Fritz getting treated for a possible STD or other condition that leads Münchow to believe he's still sexually active in the 1740s.
Oh absolutely. I also do like the Marwitz idea. As to why Fritz wouldn't have said anything earlier during those four months, well, maybe Heinrich didn't fall in love much more earlier? I mean, if Fritz isn't completely inventing stuff in his first letter when he's still mostly teasing, all this sighing about being separated sounds as if young Marwitz and Heinrich are apart for the first time since they are an item. Teenage love and all. So let's say they fell for each other during the later half of the Berlin carnival season when the entire royal family, and thus also Fritz and his pages, are in Berlin, then (and this we know) carnival is over, Fritz goes back to Potsdam, Heinrich is down with a cold and fever and remains in Berlin, and that's when Fritz starts his series of letters. Maybe he saw the whole thing first as a typical carnival flirtation and assumed that would be that, but now Marwitz seems to have to set his sights on having something more long term with Heinrich, and that's irritating Fritz for a whole variety of reason, STD and having had sexual contact with the guy being but one.
I really don't see Münchow calling Algarotti a valet. When he's regretting Voltaire being a bad man but plaintively asks whether it's really sure that V wrote the trashy memoirs, he then says he also hoped D'Argens would write a proper Fritz bio. It does sound as if he's read them both as writers. I think Algarotti would be a man of letters to him. (BTW, one detail I'm intrigued by is that he says he'd always thought the trashy pamphlet and memoirs had to be from someone other than Voltaire because there was information in it that Voltaire couldn't have known about, that's why he, Münchow, always suspected someone else. Now, I really doubt this refers to anything re: Katte, because Münchow of all the people would know that FW wasn't in Küstrin, etc. So it's more likely one of the allegations about Fritz' sex life.
Re: Stop the Presses! Münchow vs Zimmermann: It's on!
Oh absolutely. I also do like the Marwitz idea. As to why Fritz wouldn't have said anything earlier during those four months, well, maybe Heinrich didn't fall in love much more earlier? I mean, if Fritz isn't completely inventing stuff in his first letter when he's still mostly teasing, all this sighing about being separated sounds as if young Marwitz and Heinrich are apart for the first time since they are an item. Teenage love and all. So let's say they fell for each other during the later half of the Berlin carnival season when the entire royal family, and thus also Fritz and his pages, are in Berlin, then (and this we know) carnival is over, Fritz goes back to Potsdam, Heinrich is down with a cold and fever and remains in Berlin, and that's when Fritz starts his series of letters. Maybe he saw the whole thing first as a typical carnival flirtation and assumed that would be that, but now Marwitz seems to have to set his sights on having something more long term with Heinrich, and that's irritating Fritz for a whole variety of reason, STD and having had sexual contact with the guy being but one.
I really don't see Münchow calling Algarotti a valet. When he's regretting Voltaire being a bad man but plaintively asks whether it's really sure that V wrote the trashy memoirs, he then says he also hoped D'Argens would write a proper Fritz bio. It does sound as if he's read them both as writers. I think Algarotti would be a man of letters to him. (BTW, one detail I'm intrigued by is that he says he'd always thought the trashy pamphlet and memoirs had to be from someone other than Voltaire because there was information in it that Voltaire couldn't have known about, that's why he, Münchow, always suspected someone else. Now, I really doubt this refers to anything re: Katte, because Münchow of all the people would know that FW wasn't in Küstrin, etc. So it's more likely one of the allegations about Fritz' sex life.