See also: The lovely lion/rat bit in 1759 - did you guys' bring that up in the context of the "would Voltaire save Fritz?" scenario? or the Disney one? I know I read about it before - with a Maupertuis cameo as the bulldog who totally recanted AND loved Fritz less than Voltaire himself did, so there.
during the Seven Years War, Fritz writes that he gave himself a diet that seemed very severe to everyone around him - are there details on what exactly that entailed
Two pieces of evidence that I know of, from Trier:
1) October 4, 1756: D'Argens says he's heard that Fritz is skipping meals, that he's "cavalierly" going 36 hours at a time without food, and that he didn't eat all the day before the recent battle. Which would be Lobositz (October 1, 1756). D'Argens is appalled and tries to convince him that eating food is important. (Remember when Suhm tried to convince him that sleep was important? I feel like this was part of being friends with Fritz. :P)
Interestingly, this would lend support to one thing that's in the memoirs but not the diary of Catt: Fritz noticeably losing weight between when he met Catt in 1755 and when he saw him again in 1758. It's one of the first things Catt remarks on in the memoirs.
2) January 27, 1762: Fritz writes to Madame de Camas:
For four years I have given up suppers, as incompatible with the profession I am obliged to follow; and on marching days my dinner consists of a cup of chocolate.
Seems severe to me!
Oh, and finally, re: Fritz and dogs - in 1775, Fritz is revising his old memoirs and describes it to Voltaire as Je lèche mes petits. :D
Re: Fritz/Voltaire
See also: The lovely lion/rat bit in 1759 - did you guys' bring that up in the context of the "would Voltaire save Fritz?" scenario? or the Disney one? I know I read about it before - with a Maupertuis cameo as the bulldog who totally recanted AND loved Fritz less than Voltaire himself did, so there.
We've brought it up several times, so take your pick!
during the Seven Years War, Fritz writes that he gave himself a diet that seemed very severe to everyone around him - are there details on what exactly that entailed
Two pieces of evidence that I know of, from Trier:
1) October 4, 1756: D'Argens says he's heard that Fritz is skipping meals, that he's "cavalierly" going 36 hours at a time without food, and that he didn't eat all the day before the recent battle. Which would be Lobositz (October 1, 1756). D'Argens is appalled and tries to convince him that eating food is important. (Remember when Suhm tried to convince him that sleep was important? I feel like this was part of being friends with Fritz. :P)
Interestingly, this would lend support to one thing that's in the memoirs but not the diary of Catt: Fritz noticeably losing weight between when he met Catt in 1755 and when he saw him again in 1758. It's one of the first things Catt remarks on in the memoirs.
2) January 27, 1762: Fritz writes to Madame de Camas:
For four years I have given up suppers, as incompatible with the profession I am obliged to follow; and on marching days my dinner consists of a cup of chocolate.
Seems severe to me!
Oh, and finally, re: Fritz and dogs - in 1775, Fritz is revising his old memoirs and describes it to Voltaire as Je lèche mes petits. :D
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