Frederick the Great discussion post 12

[cahn]

Every time I am amazed and enchanted that this is still going on! Truly DW is the Earthly Paradise!

All the good stuff continues to be archived at rheinsberg :)

Comments

Re: Pangels in Wonderland

[selenak]

Cembalo anecdote - wasn't it just?

The best part of this, having read the poem exchange in question, is that Fritz rejected this love in the no uncertain terms of "Forget about my sister! What's she got that I don't? Write me more love poetry, Voltaire! Freaking Émilie."

I know. But then, she who can read entries like "January 7th: Grand cour at the Queen's. I stay but a moment and then withdraw with my dear H. How much I enjoy being alone with him! What little reason I have leaves me entirely as soon as this dear creature captivates me. Why is man so weak! Without this passion, I could live as a philosopher. I spend a charming evening with him. We read. This pleasure gets interrupted by the arrival of young Lb (Lamberg?). But as I come with my dear H, I manage to be alone with him again" as translating into "Lehndorff really ships Heinrich/Bentinck and is into Heinrich confiding in him about that affair" can easily turn that poem into, well, what she did.

Preuss, as far as I can tell. Does Pangels give a date? I can double check.

Yes. Fritz' letter: May 1749. AW's letter of reply is dated Spandau, 27th May 1749.

Ferdinand has given me the letter in which Biche invites me to be godfather to her pub. I accept this offer gladly. I do not dare to say "Who loves the master, loves the dog" in order not to look like Sancho Pansa, who talks in sayings. But you can guess that I'm regarding it as an honor to become a family member to Biche. Loyalty and affection, so rare with humans, are so much shared among her kind that it shames all who do not have these qualities. Yes, there is nothing in this world from which one can't draw a useful moral! Biche alone would provide material for several volumes of it. May her descendants inherit all her good qualities, and may she, after rising from her puerperium, continue to give you examples of her loyalty. Having thus sung Biche's praise, I remain....

The poem to Wilhelmine

If fortune which rules us without bending
demands a bloody sacrifice - then, you gods,
illuminate its judgment thus
that its choice falls solely on me.
Then I will be obedient and without complaint
await the inevitable death
turning his steps from my sister
using his scythe on me.
But if the favor I am asking for
is too high to be granted to a mortal,
oh my gods! Then grant me this
that we both on the same day
descend to those plains which are surrounded by laurels
and cypresses, to that stay of eternal peace
with one grave enclosing our intermingling dust.

That's the poem he's showing Catt in the diary and memoirs both and sending to Voltaire when demanding immortal poetry in return.

ghost of SD? Who probably knew all about being taller than her husband? (Was she? Please tell me she was, that would be so awesome.)

I honestly have no idea. It would be great! The sole problem with the ghost of SD is that SD herself doesn't come across too well in the Wilhelmine section of the book. Not just via quotes from the memoirs, Pangels also gives us SD's letters after the fateful lunch with MT happened. (Told you about that.) You do have a point about Catt's Fritz not being eternally chill, though. How about Zimmermann's ghost then?

Asprey: if I read Pangels for the occasional good quote, you can read Asprey for the occasional good simile, I suppose, but... yeah.

Re: Pangels in Wonderland

[mildred_of_midgard]

Yes. Fritz' letter: May 1749. AW's letter of reply is dated Spandau, 27th May 1749.

Preuss has nothing from May 1749 at all. Phew, it's not the algorithm!

ghost of SD? Who probably knew all about being taller than her husband? (Was she? Please tell me she was, that would be so awesome.)

I honestly have no idea. It would be great!

Headcanon until proven otherwise! She was Olympia, after all...

The sole problem with the ghost of SD is that SD herself doesn't come across too well in the Wilhelmine section of the book.

Hmm, that is a problem. Zimmermann it is!