But if you ever need a canon basis for it NOT being anachronistic for a contemporary to be appalled even he's basically on board with the general war aim, here it is.
Preuss, we're looking at you.
Mitchell, getting between Fritz and Heinrich must have been only slightly less uncomfortable than getting between FW and Fritz, so no surprise there.
Hahahaha, too true. Fritz: less likely to chop off your head, just as likely to ruin your life in a creative fashion.
Prussian Ministers: Mediate between the King and this brother? You first, Mitchell, you first. You're supposed to be a diplomat. That's why they're paying you the big bucks.
AM: I'm paid to liase between my government and yours, not to provide family counselling to Hohenzollerns, if you want to get technical. What kind of brave Prussians are you?
Prussian Ministers: The surviving with a florishing career kind. The last guy to try to mediate between his Majesty and Prince Heinrich was the late Prince of Prussia.
More Mitchell in critical mode. This is him dissing Lentulus and Fritz' judgment at the same time, in a letter dated February 18th 1762 to the British envoy in Russia (context: Peter has become Czar, Fritz appoints new envoys:
SIR, The King of Prussia, making a sort of mystery of the person or persons he intends to send to Petersbourg, had demanded of me blank passports, which I have granted; it may, therefore, be necessary to apprize you of the persons I have heard named for that com mission. The first is Baron Goltz, a young gentleman of a fair character, and well spoke of by every body; I am acquainted with him, and have given him a letter for you, in case he should be named. The second is Major-General Lentulus (formerly in the Austrian service), a tall, handsome Swiss, very weak, very vain, and very indiscreet, but, which is worst of all, a servile flatterer, and capable of reporting to his master the greatest falsehoods, if he thinks they will please him. Of this I had the strongest proofs, when, in the year 1756, Lentulus was sent to England, to give an account of the battle of Lobositz (at which he was not present). On his return into Saxony, he made a most absurd report to the King, his master, concerning the then state of affairs in England, which, after many months labour and infinite pains, I had at last the good fortune totally to annihilate. - Since that time I have done everything in my power to prevent his making a second journey to England, because I thought it of importance to have honest and fair men named for that commission. As to the General's military qualifications, if you will believe his own story, he is the hero of the army; but, unhappily, the army are of a very different opinion. He has indeed distinguished himself by plundering in Saxony, and was lately in disgrace with the King his master, but recovered ground again by the irresistible power of abject flattery, more fatal to kings than daggers and poison.
So much for Lentulus, eh, Mitchell? Now, considering Mitchell also once thought Heinrich was scum before changing his mind, he's hardly infallible, but I did want to share this withering assessment of someone wiki likes a lot.
And if you think this implicit criticism of Fritz that goes with "abject flattery" is remarkable, wait for Mitchell in full critical mode post 7 Years War in his dispatches from March 1764, describing Mitchell's take on the matter of Count Borcke - remember, harsh governor of future FW2 who however didn't get fired for being too strict but for being too yay peace, war sucks. Here's one incensed Scotsman reporting:
“The ministers have not the courage to report totheir master what is told them, and much less dare they insinuate what may be the consequences of a rash or false step. He is impatient of contradiction, and receives too easily impressions that flatter or coincide with his present passion; and experience has shown to me how difficult it is for that monarch to vanquish even his ill-grounded prejudices. (...) Count Borcke, governor of the Prince of Prussia, had spoken in a company upon the nature and the effects of war, and the calamities occasioned to mankind in general.” This was reported to the King, with some exaggerations, on which account he turned the conversation at table to the subject. Though Borcke here expressed himself in more moderate terms, the King fell into a violent passion, and told him that, with such sentiments, he was unworthy to wear the uniform of a major-general, and much more to be about his nephew; so he was dismissed.”
(1764: also when Heinrich - himself in a perpetual PTSD bad mood - refuses to show up for the annual parade and salute Fritz at the head of his regiment, whereupon the brothers don't talk for a year until it's time for the next revue, and Heinrich salutes. In between, it's goodbye Kalkreuth, hello Kaphengst, and poor Mina ostracized for Heinrich. The immediate post war years in Prussia: awful in a myriad ways for everyone, from the top down.)
by the irresistible power of abject flattery, more fatal to kings than daggers and poison.
Heh. I like it! Mitchell is now my second fave source, after Lehndorf :D
Though Borcke here expressed himself in more moderate terms, the King fell into a violent passion, and told him that, with such sentiments, he was unworthy to wear the uniform of a major-general, and much more to be about his nephew; so he was dismissed.”
:( Poor Count Borcke, and I'm glad that Mitchell at least was on his side, even if he generally liked Fritz :P
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Re: Andrew Mitchell: War Reporter at Large
But if you ever need a canon basis for it NOT being anachronistic for a contemporary to be appalled even he's basically on board with the general war aim, here it is.
Preuss, we're looking at you.
Mitchell, getting between Fritz and Heinrich must have been only slightly less uncomfortable than getting between FW and Fritz, so no surprise there.
Hahahaha, too true. Fritz: less likely to chop off your head, just as likely to ruin your life in a creative fashion.
Re: Andrew Mitchell: War Reporter at Large
AM: I'm paid to liase between my government and yours, not to provide family counselling to Hohenzollerns, if you want to get technical. What kind of brave Prussians are you?
Prussian Ministers: The surviving with a florishing career kind. The last guy to try to mediate between his Majesty and Prince Heinrich was the late Prince of Prussia.
Re: Andrew Mitchell: War Reporter at Large
SIR,
The King of Prussia, making a sort of mystery of the person or persons he intends to send to Petersbourg, had demanded of me blank passports, which I have granted; it may, therefore, be necessary to apprize you of the persons I have heard named for that com mission. The first is Baron Goltz, a young gentleman of a fair character, and well spoke of by every body; I am acquainted with him, and have given him a letter for you, in case he should be named. The second is Major-General Lentulus (formerly in the Austrian service), a tall, handsome Swiss, very weak, very vain, and very indiscreet, but, which is worst of all, a servile flatterer, and capable of reporting to his master the greatest falsehoods, if he thinks they will please him. Of this I had the strongest proofs, when, in the year 1756, Lentulus was sent to England, to give an account of the battle of Lobositz (at which he was not present).
On his return into Saxony, he made a most absurd report to the King, his master, concerning the then state of affairs in England, which, after many months labour and infinite pains, I had at last the good fortune totally to annihilate. - Since that time I have done everything in my power to prevent his making a second journey to England, because I thought it of importance to have honest and fair men named for that commission. As to the General's military qualifications, if you will believe his own story, he is the hero of the army; but, unhappily, the army are of a very different opinion. He has indeed distinguished himself by plundering in Saxony, and was lately in disgrace with the King his master, but recovered ground again by the irresistible power of abject flattery, more fatal to kings than daggers and poison.
So much for Lentulus, eh, Mitchell? Now, considering Mitchell also once thought Heinrich was scum before changing his mind, he's hardly infallible, but I did want to share this withering assessment of someone wiki likes a lot.
And if you think this implicit criticism of Fritz that goes with "abject flattery" is remarkable, wait for Mitchell in full critical mode post 7 Years War in his dispatches from March 1764, describing Mitchell's take on the matter of Count Borcke - remember, harsh governor of future FW2 who however didn't get fired for being too strict but for being too yay peace, war sucks. Here's one incensed Scotsman reporting:
“The ministers have not the courage to report totheir master what is told them, and much less dare they insinuate what may be the consequences of a rash or false step. He is impatient of contradiction, and receives too easily impressions that flatter or coincide with his present passion; and experience has shown to me how difficult it is for that monarch to vanquish even his ill-grounded prejudices. (...) Count Borcke, governor of the Prince of Prussia, had spoken in a company upon the nature and the effects of war, and the calamities occasioned to mankind in general.” This was reported to the King, with some exaggerations, on which account he turned the conversation at table to the subject. Though Borcke here expressed himself in more moderate terms, the King fell into a violent passion, and told him that, with such sentiments, he was unworthy to wear the uniform of a
major-general, and much more to be about his nephew; so he was dismissed.”
(1764: also when Heinrich - himself in a perpetual PTSD bad mood - refuses to show up for the annual parade and salute Fritz at the head of his regiment, whereupon the brothers don't talk for a year until it's time for the next revue, and Heinrich salutes. In between, it's goodbye Kalkreuth, hello Kaphengst, and poor Mina ostracized for Heinrich. The immediate post war years in Prussia: awful in a myriad ways for everyone, from the top down.)
Re: Andrew Mitchell: War Reporter at Large
Heh. I like it! Mitchell is now my second fave source, after Lehndorf :D
Though Borcke here expressed himself in more moderate terms, the King fell into a violent passion, and told him that, with such sentiments, he was unworthy to wear the uniform of a
major-general, and much more to be about his nephew; so he was dismissed.”
:( Poor Count Borcke, and I'm glad that Mitchell at least was on his side, even if he generally liked Fritz :P