So I'm snatching time now and then for Jenssen, the 1976 collection of Fritz and MT related documents that Mildred discovered. As mentioned in another comment, Jennssen is surprisingly starry eyed about Fritz for a 1976 editor - and you can sometimes tell by his choice of documents; for example, no Frederician condolence letters, but a Prussian account from 1756 of how the Saxons were all rooting for Fritz and happy to be invaded, err, liberated and totally understood he had to preemptively strike against the conspiracy aganst him. But Jennssen also delivers on the Fritz critical front - there's an Austrian report on AW's withdrawal that got him casheered, for example, which is actually quite complimentary to AW,as well as AW's letter to Mina from Dresden shortly therafter -, though he's a bit miffed when having to do so, as in saying Fritz believed the French to be his friends, while how they truly thought about him (implied: those bastards!) can be learned from this report by the pre-7 Years envoy Valory.
Valory, cahn: French ambassador between Silesia 2 and shortly before 7 Years War. Friends with the Divine Trio. Got nearly captured by Austrians during Silesia 2, which Darget prevented by claiming to be Valory, which got Darget hired by Fritz thereafter and later meant both Darget and Valory co-starred in Fritz raunchy poem "Palladion" about Darget getting buggered by Austrians for the cause.
Now I've seen quotes from this particular Valory dispatch before, but never the entire letter. Even Jenssen doesn't give us the entire letter, but he quotes more from it than I've ever seen, and it's absolutely fascinating as a not unsympathetic (imo) but highly critical psychological dissection of Fritz in the early 1750s. Valory also provides a source for a "FW about Fritz" quote which I had seen only once, in a work of fiction, and thus didn't know whether or not it was authentic.
I beginn with his portrait. His face is compelling. He's small and of noble bearing. His figure isn't regular; his hips are too high, and his legs are too strong. He has beautiful blue eyes which are a bit too strongly pronounced, but easily reflect his moods, so their expression varies depending on his state of mind. If he's dissatisfied with something, their gaze is threatening, but nothing is more soft, gracious and captivating than if he's in a mood to please. His hair is thick, mouth and nose agreeable, his smile charming and witty, but often bitter and mocking. When his soul is peaceful, the softness of his gaze can charm anyone. His health varies, his temper heated, and his personal life style contributes quite a lot to heating his blood. He used to drink incredible amounts of coffee. One day, I dared to tell him that he drank too much coffee; he admitted as much and said he was trying to abandon the habit. "I now drink only six to seven cups in the morning", he said, "and after supper only one."
The King is extreme in anything he does. His main character flaw is his misanthropy. A virtuous and enlightened man is his ideal, and in his opinion the most foolish people are called honorable men. In general, he finds only a few to have wit, and he doesn't esteem the so colled common sense which as opposed to wit can provide a right and sound judgment. Anyone has their share of the later, and only a ruler of judgment can esteem everyone correctly, and if a man has his right place, he can surprise even the most witty people. The King talks a lot and very well, but he listens very little, and mocks every objection.
One can be hardly more daring than he is; hence his contempt for humanity. He speaks out against vice with surprising eloquence. The same is true for morals, the most beautiful traits of which he seems to have learned to name by heart. But he's so little consequential and believes so little in what he says that his own claims refute him only fifteen minutes later.
He does have principles regarding administration, and, if I may say so, even about temper and disloyal reports. Fortunately what he decides when in a mood isn't set in stone; he usually returns to a correct judgment. If, however, his decision is made, he has no regard for etiquette. As soon as something he has come up with and pondered thoroughly appears right to him, he abandons all restraint in order to execute it. He is extremely suspicious; if he was less so, he'd be content to have come up with good ideas and would delegate their execution to his ministers, who are more sensible than he is and would soften any too great harshness.
Again: he has contempt for humankind and believes people are born to obey without talking back. This explains the excess in his behavior and the obvious paradoxes which amaze all who managed to get closer to him. I always have tried to analyze the immediate causes he named for his rejections, as well as the reasons why he hurt or flattered those close to him. In most cases, I had to admit his reasons were good, though not the form they took.
He owes the conquest of Silesia (...) to his boundless energy. (...) The good status of his troops and his magazines which were equipped with all that was needed to start a campaign with a strong army heightened his audacity and made him reckless for as long as he was confronted by only a handful of troops dispersed across a few Silesian fortresses. As soon as he was confronted with a proper army, he got conscious of all the dangers he faced. I dare to say he even exaggareted them in his mind. His consistent fortune has nourished his boldness for a while, but since then he thought about this and has admitted he owes much to luck. His enemy in a distance is always politics. The later often get scorned as being dependent on the moment, especially the Saxons, and yet during the campaign of 1744, they caused him the deepest trouble, but he punished them thouroughly for it in 1745. In this last campaign, he has shown the talents of a great general. But he believes to have all the talents, both those of a King and of a writer, which is a strange brew; we see the great man occupy himself with trifles.
The arts have become his weakness, in the same way as his royal father had a weakness for anyone above six feet. He pursues the reputation of a polymath - the poet, the orator, the musician are starting to dominate the King in him. His many troops force thriftiness on him, and yet I dare say he's too thrifty. It is impossible to possess more ésprit than he does, but very possible to make a better use of it. He's never more charming than if he wants to please you, and he always wants this to flatter his love of self. Once he has charmed you, he neglects you and regards you as his slave, who is there to obey him in a servile manner and to put up with all his moods.
He's harsh and masterful towards his brothers. He holds them in an utter dependency which he himself never got used to when having it on his father who made everyone tremble. This father knew him very well and once told him: "When you are lord and master here, you will betray everyone, for you can't help yourself. You are false to the core of your being, and a betrayer. Be careful, Friedrich! Make that first betrayal as complete as possible, for you won't manage to fool them a second time." I have a trusthworthy second source for this anecdote, for it has been confirmed to me by the crown prince, his worthy brother. I hope thus to have drawn some traits of his character for you. In totem, he remains an enigma.
Wow, yes, that's more of that letter than I'd ever seen either. Thank you, Jessen and selenak!
I had also never seen the FW to Fritz quote, or at least I don't remember seeing it. Wow.
That's quite some insight from both of them, tbh. Though Valory doesn't seem too impressed with Fritz's desire to make something of himself artistically. Come on Valory, we need to encourage that kind of behavior!
Make that first betrayal as complete as possible, for you won't manage to fool them a second time."
This packed an especial punch coming shortly after reading the following and having marked it for comment. If Blanning's quotes can be trusted at all:
In Anti-Machiavel he had written that it was not only wrong but politically stupid to be a cheat [fourbe] and deceive [duper] everyone, because, once destroyed, trust could never be regained. In the autumn of 1741, however, he wrote to Podewils: “If there is advantage to be gained from being honest, then that is what we shall be; but if we have to deceive [duper], then let us be cheats [fourbes].”
Reading that knowing that he's bringing the Seven Years' War on himself as he speaks, and the French are going to turn on him in large part because he abandoned their alliance...Fritz, you were right the first time!
FW, though, if you're going to complain about him being a lying liar who lies to you, have you considered not putting him in the position of having to lie to you every other breath? Fathers, provoke not your children to duplicity. :P
he remains an enigma.
Currently reading a bio subtitled "The Magnificent Enigma" (Asprey).
Though Valory doesn't seem too impressed with Fritz's desire to make something of himself artistically. Come on Valory, we need to encourage that kind of behavior!
Absolutely. But consider:
a) if you were co-starring in a satiric porn poem by Fritz, you might not think too well of his literary efforts, either, and
b) Valory writes this in 1753. Which means: Fritz/Voltaire is going DOWN. Now I have no idea what Valory's opinion on Voltaire was, either as a writer or a person, and at a guess, he probably thought both Fritz and Voltaire were at fault. Hell, for all I know, he thought Voltaire was completely at fault. But while it's possible to watch that spectacle from afar with pop corn munching glee, Valory has a front row seat. And Voltaire is still a French citizen. And France's most famous living writer, no matter that much of his stuff can't be published within France due to censorship. This means Valory can't play audience. As I recall Voltaire mentions him in his letter to Fredersdorf. Which means in 1753, Valory has the dubious joy of being stuck in the middle between Fritz and Voltaire.
....would you wish Fritz occupied himself a bit less with literary matters right then?
FW, though, if you're going to complain about him being a lying liar who lies to you, have you considered not putting him in the position of having to lie to you every other breath? Fathers, provoke not your children to duplicity. :P
Yep. You broke it, FW, you own it. Or, as Fritz himself put it to Grumbkow: he's your work of art, your creation.
I had come across that quote in a short story about a fictional meeting between Fritz and MT which was such a let down that it contributed to my determination to write my own take(s) for Yuletide. Since it was a short story, like I said, I couldn't tell whether the writer made it up or used a source (no bibliography or footnote in short stories).
Speaking of footnotes, I duly note Valory went to the trouble of getting a reliable second source on that FW quote - which is very Woodward and Bernstein in "All the President's Men" of him, but doesn't tell us who told him about it originally. Still, responsible journalism, err, envoy-ism, Valory! (He was in a position to ask AW because, as mentioned, he like Lehndorff hung out with all three princes at that time and had become close to them; the quoted letter from AW about shooting at sparrows in Spandau and this being preparation for murder from the Ziebura biography is adressed to Valory, so there was quite a lot of trust involved, it seems.
Incidentally, letters like these are a refutation of Andrew Bisset's assumption that diplomats in peace time have nothing interesting to tell!
....would you wish Fritz occupied himself a bit less with literary matters right then?
Touché. TOUCHÉ. WELL PLAYED, MA'AM.
Also, don't say things like
a) if you were co-starring in a satiric porn poem by Fritz, you might not think too well of his literary efforts, either
when I'm eating, I might choke and die. :P
I had come across that quote in a short story about a fictional meeting between Fritz and MT which was such a let down that it contributed to my determination to write my own take(s) for Yuletide.
I'm glad you did, but wow, what is with these letdown stories? How do you make Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie triangle bland where there's canonical fireworks going off every other week? Come on, authors!
Incidentally, letters like these are a refutation of Andrew Bisset's assumption that diplomats in peace time have nothing interesting to tell!
Can you really consider Fritz/Voltaire peacetime, though? :P
I'm glad you did, but wow, what is with these letdown stories? How do you make Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie triangle bland where there's canonical fireworks going off every other week? Come on, authors!
I know, I know. So much potential, so much waste! Sire, ich eile (Quote from a Voltaire letter about finally coming to Prussia), the Fritz/Voltaire/Emilie novella by Hans Joachim Schädlich manages to sound like Voltaire at his most self pitying without any of Voltaire‘s wit. It has the David Bodanis characterisation of Fritz, which tells you all you need to know. Maupertuis is a villain who goes after König just because he can and Voltaire protects König, that‘s his whole reason for that part of the disaster. This novella’s Voltaire is basically Zimmermann’s Fritz. (Minus the unfortunate operation.) Also, the novella can‘t decide whether it wants to be fiction or non fiction, so much of it is just a summary of what happens (with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned), and very occasionally, there‘s a fictional dialogue. This includes the aftermath of Émilie‘s death, in which Voltaire yells at Lambert „You murdered her!“. Émilie is Voltaire‘s manic pixie dreamgirl without being manic, because remember, bland. (No mention whatsover of her backstory with Maupertuis, btw.) It‘s just one long exercise of frustration.
Sie machte Frieden (title is from Matthias Claudius poem about MT after her death, which I have already quoted to you many a post ago) is a short story with a good premise (ghost of MT and ghost of Fritz meet at Sanssouci when his body gets finally buried there because reconciling with her is his unfinished business and he‘s hers) which it utterly wastes. The ghost of Henri de Catt is also around; this is Catt as Bambi, which back then wasn‘t a problem for me because this was before I read anything of his. What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept. Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other because the author totally chickened out of imagining what they might say to each other; instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type. Ugh.
Fritz/Voltaire as peace time: um, cold war? Cuba crisis? Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.) That man must have had nerves of steel. Though not endlessly so. Mitchell didn‘t get to meet him, since Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
You know which writer should have a go at Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie? Christopher Hampton, whose dramatisation of „Les Liasons Dangereuses“ proves he can do the period really well, and whose play „Tales from Hollywood“ about some of our exiled literati during WWII (Ödön von Horvath, Brecht, the Brothers Mann) proves he can do Germans without going into clichés.
This novella’s Voltaire is basically Zimmermann’s Fritz. (Minus the unfortunate operation.)
I laughed, I admit. Which is honestly kind of Bodanis' Voltaire, minus the extreme defensiveness.
ETA: No, I take it back, Bodanis preserves the wit in the midst of all his hero-worship. OMG, how can you lose the wit?
(with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned)
I get that Voltaire's wit is hard to reproduce, but that's what quotes are for!
What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept.
What.
Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other
OMMGGG.
instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type.
Whyyyyy??? Why would you do such a thing? Either of those things!
That is *not* what quotes are for!
Oh, you know what? I know why you would do such a thing. IF YOU WERE POSSESSED BY THE GHOST OF HENRI DE CATT. Presents Catt as total Bambi, check. Catt present at and integral to the most important events, check. Catt on totally intimate terms with the monarchs immediately after meeting them, check.
Mes amies, methinks I detect the hands of Swiss cyber agents from the beyond.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.)
Yes, please!
Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
That's interesting, because Fredersdorf only lasts one year more (until April 1757,I believe). That means this comment is coming from his last year of service, and I can see how that could get confused with dismissal on grounds of dishonesty.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion.
I just want to reiterate: YES. And also YES. I speak on behalf of us all!
What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept. Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other because the author totally chickened out of imagining what they might say to each other; instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type. Ugh.
which Darget prevented by claiming to be Valory, which got Darget hired by Fritz thereafter and later meant both Darget and Valory co-starred in Fritz raunchy poem "Palladion" about Darget getting buggered by Austrians for the cause.
OMG this is all coming together, many-season-long fandom strikes again :P :) *is a little horrified by this whole story*
Yes, this is a fascinating portrait of Fritz!
The arts have become his weakness, in the same way as his royal father had a weakness for anyone above six feet.
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Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
Valory,
Now I've seen quotes from this particular Valory dispatch before, but never the entire letter. Even Jenssen doesn't give us the entire letter, but he quotes more from it than I've ever seen, and it's absolutely fascinating as a not unsympathetic (imo) but highly critical psychological dissection of Fritz in the early 1750s. Valory also provides a source for a "FW about Fritz" quote which I had seen only once, in a work of fiction, and thus didn't know whether or not it was authentic.
I beginn with his portrait. His face is compelling. He's small and of noble bearing. His figure isn't regular; his hips are too high, and his legs are too strong. He has beautiful blue eyes which are a bit too strongly pronounced, but easily reflect his moods, so their expression varies depending on his state of mind. If he's dissatisfied with something, their gaze is threatening, but nothing is more soft, gracious and captivating than if he's in a mood to please. His hair is thick, mouth and nose agreeable, his smile charming and witty, but often bitter and mocking. When his soul is peaceful, the softness of his gaze can charm anyone. His health varies, his temper heated, and his personal life style contributes quite a lot to heating his blood. He used to drink incredible amounts of coffee. One day, I dared to tell him that he drank too much coffee; he admitted as much and said he was trying to abandon the habit. "I now drink only six to seven cups in the morning", he said, "and after supper only one."
The King is extreme in anything he does. His main character flaw is his misanthropy. A virtuous and enlightened man is his ideal, and in his opinion the most foolish people are called honorable men. In general, he finds only a few to have wit, and he doesn't esteem the so colled common sense which as opposed to wit can provide a right and sound judgment. Anyone has their share of the later, and only a ruler of judgment can esteem everyone correctly, and if a man has his right place, he can surprise even the most witty people. The King talks a lot and very well, but he listens very little, and mocks every objection.
One can be hardly more daring than he is; hence his contempt for humanity. He speaks out against vice with surprising eloquence. The same is true for morals, the most beautiful traits of which he seems to have learned to name by heart. But he's so little consequential and believes so little in what he says that his own claims refute him only fifteen minutes later.
He does have principles regarding administration, and, if I may say so, even about temper and disloyal reports. Fortunately what he decides when in a mood isn't set in stone; he usually returns to a correct judgment. If, however, his decision is made, he has no regard for etiquette. As soon as something he has come up with and pondered thoroughly appears right to him, he abandons all restraint in order to execute it. He is extremely suspicious; if he was less so, he'd be content to have come up with good ideas and would delegate their execution to his ministers, who are more sensible than he is and would soften any too great harshness.
Again: he has contempt for humankind and believes people are born to obey without talking back. This explains the excess in his behavior and the obvious paradoxes which amaze all who managed to get closer to him. I always have tried to analyze the immediate causes he named for his rejections, as well as the reasons why he hurt or flattered those close to him. In most cases, I had to admit his reasons were good, though not the form they took.
He owes the conquest of Silesia (...) to his boundless energy. (...) The good status of his troops and his magazines which were equipped with all that was needed to start a campaign with a strong army heightened his audacity and made him reckless for as long as he was confronted by only a handful of troops dispersed across a few Silesian fortresses. As soon as he was confronted with a proper army, he got conscious of all the dangers he faced. I dare to say he even exaggareted them in his mind. His consistent fortune has nourished his boldness for a while, but since then he thought about this and has admitted he owes much to luck. His enemy in a distance is always politics. The later often get scorned as being dependent on the moment, especially the Saxons, and yet during the campaign of 1744, they caused him the deepest trouble, but he punished them thouroughly for it in 1745. In this last campaign, he has shown the talents of a great general. But he believes to have all the talents, both those of a King and of a writer, which is a strange brew; we see the great man occupy himself with trifles.
The arts have become his weakness, in the same way as his royal father had a weakness for anyone above six feet. He pursues the reputation of a polymath - the poet, the orator, the musician are starting to dominate the King in him. His many troops force thriftiness on him, and yet I dare say he's too thrifty. It is impossible to possess more ésprit than he does, but very possible to make a better use of it. He's never more charming than if he wants to please you, and he always wants this to flatter his love of self. Once he has charmed you, he neglects you and regards you as his slave, who is there to obey him in a servile manner and to put up with all his moods.
He's harsh and masterful towards his brothers. He holds them in an utter dependency which he himself never got used to when having it on his father who made everyone tremble. This father knew him very well and once told him: "When you are lord and master here, you will betray everyone, for you can't help yourself. You are false to the core of your being, and a betrayer. Be careful, Friedrich! Make that first betrayal as complete as possible, for you won't manage to fool them a second time." I have a trusthworthy second source for this anecdote, for it has been confirmed to me by the crown prince, his worthy brother. I hope thus to have drawn some traits of his character for you. In totem, he remains an enigma.
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
I had also never seen the FW to Fritz quote, or at least I don't remember seeing it. Wow.
That's quite some insight from both of them, tbh. Though Valory doesn't seem too impressed with Fritz's desire to make something of himself artistically. Come on Valory, we need to encourage that kind of behavior!
Make that first betrayal as complete as possible, for you won't manage to fool them a second time."
This packed an especial punch coming shortly after reading the following and having marked it for comment. If Blanning's quotes can be trusted at all:
In Anti-Machiavel he had written that it was not only wrong but politically stupid to be a cheat [fourbe] and deceive [duper] everyone, because, once destroyed, trust could never be regained. In the autumn of 1741, however, he wrote to Podewils: “If there is advantage to be gained from being honest, then that is what we shall be; but if we have to deceive [duper], then let us be cheats [fourbes].”
Reading that knowing that he's bringing the Seven Years' War on himself as he speaks, and the French are going to turn on him in large part because he abandoned their alliance...Fritz, you were right the first time!
FW, though, if you're going to complain about him being a lying liar who lies to you, have you considered not putting him in the position of having to lie to you every other breath? Fathers, provoke not your children to duplicity. :P
he remains an enigma.
Currently reading a bio subtitled "The Magnificent Enigma" (Asprey).
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
Absolutely. But consider:
a) if you were co-starring in a satiric porn poem by Fritz, you might not think too well of his literary efforts, either, and
b) Valory writes this in 1753. Which means: Fritz/Voltaire is going DOWN. Now I have no idea what Valory's opinion on Voltaire was, either as a writer or a person, and at a guess, he probably thought both Fritz and Voltaire were at fault. Hell, for all I know, he thought Voltaire was completely at fault. But while it's possible to watch that spectacle from afar with pop corn munching glee, Valory has a front row seat. And Voltaire is still a French citizen. And France's most famous living writer, no matter that much of his stuff can't be published within France due to censorship. This means Valory can't play audience. As I recall Voltaire mentions him in his letter to Fredersdorf. Which means in 1753, Valory has the dubious joy of being stuck in the middle between Fritz and Voltaire.
....would you wish Fritz occupied himself a bit less with literary matters right then?
FW, though, if you're going to complain about him being a lying liar who lies to you, have you considered not putting him in the position of having to lie to you every other breath? Fathers, provoke not your children to duplicity. :P
Yep. You broke it, FW, you own it. Or, as Fritz himself put it to Grumbkow: he's your work of art, your creation.
I had come across that quote in a short story about a fictional meeting between Fritz and MT which was such a let down that it contributed to my determination to write my own take(s) for Yuletide. Since it was a short story, like I said, I couldn't tell whether the writer made it up or used a source (no bibliography or footnote in short stories).
Speaking of footnotes, I duly note Valory went to the trouble of getting a reliable second source on that FW quote - which is very Woodward and Bernstein in "All the President's Men" of him, but doesn't tell us who told him about it originally. Still, responsible journalism, err, envoy-ism, Valory! (He was in a position to ask AW because, as mentioned, he like Lehndorff hung out with all three princes at that time and had become close to them; the quoted letter from AW about shooting at sparrows in Spandau and this being preparation for murder from the Ziebura biography is adressed to Valory, so there was quite a lot of trust involved, it seems.
Incidentally, letters like these are a refutation of Andrew Bisset's assumption that diplomats in peace time have nothing interesting to tell!
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
Touché. TOUCHÉ. WELL PLAYED, MA'AM.
Also, don't say things like
a) if you were co-starring in a satiric porn poem by Fritz, you might not think too well of his literary efforts, either
when I'm eating, I might choke and die. :P
I had come across that quote in a short story about a fictional meeting between Fritz and MT which was such a let down that it contributed to my determination to write my own take(s) for Yuletide.
I'm glad you did, but wow, what is with these letdown stories? How do you make Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie triangle bland where there's canonical fireworks going off every other week? Come on, authors!
Incidentally, letters like these are a refutation of Andrew Bisset's assumption that diplomats in peace time have nothing interesting to tell!
Can you really consider Fritz/Voltaire peacetime, though? :P
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
I know, I know. So much potential, so much waste! Sire, ich eile (Quote from a Voltaire letter about finally coming to Prussia), the Fritz/Voltaire/Emilie novella by Hans Joachim Schädlich manages to sound like Voltaire at his most self pitying without any of Voltaire‘s wit. It has the David Bodanis characterisation of Fritz, which tells you all you need to know. Maupertuis is a villain who goes after König just because he can and Voltaire protects König, that‘s his whole reason for that part of the disaster. This novella’s Voltaire is basically Zimmermann’s Fritz. (Minus the unfortunate operation.) Also, the novella can‘t decide whether it wants to be fiction or non fiction, so much of it is just a summary of what happens (with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned), and very occasionally, there‘s a fictional dialogue. This includes the aftermath of Émilie‘s death, in which Voltaire yells at Lambert „You murdered her!“. Émilie is Voltaire‘s manic pixie dreamgirl without being manic, because remember, bland. (No mention whatsover of her backstory with Maupertuis, btw.) It‘s just one long exercise of frustration.
Sie machte Frieden (title is from Matthias Claudius poem about MT after her death, which I have already quoted to you many a post ago) is a short story with a good premise (ghost of MT and ghost of Fritz meet at Sanssouci when his body gets finally buried there because reconciling with her is his unfinished business and he‘s hers) which it utterly wastes. The ghost of Henri de Catt is also around; this is Catt as Bambi, which back then wasn‘t a problem for me because this was before I read anything of his. What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept. Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other because the author totally chickened out of imagining what they might say to each other; instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type. Ugh.
Fritz/Voltaire as peace time: um, cold war? Cuba crisis? Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.) That man must have had nerves of steel. Though not endlessly so. Mitchell didn‘t get to meet him, since Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
You know which writer should have a go at Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie? Christopher Hampton, whose dramatisation of „Les Liasons Dangereuses“ proves he can do the period really well, and whose play „Tales from Hollywood“ about some of our exiled literati during WWII (Ödön von Horvath, Brecht, the Brothers Mann) proves he can do Germans without going into clichés.
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
I laughed, I admit. Which is honestly kind of Bodanis' Voltaire, minus the extreme defensiveness.
ETA: No, I take it back, Bodanis preserves the wit in the midst of all his hero-worship. OMG, how can you lose the wit?
(with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned)
I get that Voltaire's wit is hard to reproduce, but that's what quotes are for!
What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept.
What.
Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other
OMMGGG.
instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type.
Whyyyyy??? Why would you do such a thing? Either of those things!
That is *not* what quotes are for!
Oh, you know what? I know why you would do such a thing. IF YOU WERE POSSESSED BY THE GHOST OF HENRI DE CATT. Presents Catt as total Bambi, check. Catt present at and integral to the most important events, check. Catt on totally intimate terms with the monarchs immediately after meeting them, check.
Mes amies, methinks I detect the hands of Swiss cyber agents from the beyond.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.)
Yes, please!
Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
That's interesting, because Fredersdorf only lasts one year more (until April 1757,I believe). That means this comment is coming from his last year of service, and I can see how that could get confused with dismissal on grounds of dishonesty.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion.
I just want to reiterate: YES. And also YES. I speak on behalf of us all!
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
YOU HAVE CLEARLY HIT UPON THE SOLUTION.
I just want to reiterate: YES. And also YES. I speak on behalf of us all!
This is what I get for getting to all these responses late, well after said crack fic has actually happened, but: I am adding my YES!
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
WHY
WHY WOULD YOU EVEN DO THAT
At least I have my Yuletide fic <3333333
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
OMG this is all coming together, many-season-long fandom strikes again :P :) *is a little horrified by this whole story*
Yes, this is a fascinating portrait of Fritz!
The arts have become his weakness, in the same way as his royal father had a weakness for anyone above six feet.
HAHAHAHA well you're not wrong, Valory.