![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 20
Yuletide signups so far:
3 requests for Frederician RPF, 2 offers
2 requests for Circle of Voltaire RPF, 3 offers !! :D :D
(I am so curious as to who the third person is!)
3 requests for Frederician RPF, 2 offers
2 requests for Circle of Voltaire RPF, 3 offers !! :D :D
(I am so curious as to who the third person is!)
Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
- "Boswell's London Journal" - the breakout first collection that made Boswell a postumous star of diary writers (edited by Professor Pottle)
- Boswell on the Grand Tour II (frustratingly, I had not gotten my hands on Grand Tour I - II covers his time in Italy) (Pottle edition)
- Boswell's Edinburgh Journal (editor Hugh M. Milne) and
- The Journals of James Boswell (editor John Wain; this is a "best of Boswell" collection through his entire life, and based on Pottle's first edition of the journals; that's where I had the Rousseau and Voltaire encounters quotes from, for example).
What I have now read: James Boswell: The Journal of his German and Swiss Travels, 1764, edited by Gordon Turnbull and James J. Caudle.
This , covering the same material as "Boswell on the Grand Tour I" did, is a more scholarly directed edition than Pottle's, which aimed at the general market. Hence Pottle translating all the French dialogue Boswell transcribed into English, between him and the German nobles (though he picks up some German to talk to soldiers and servants with) , and between him and Rousseau, and a bit between him and Voltaire, on their first encounter, whereas on the second Voltaire does talk English with him. In this edition, by contrast, both the French dialogue and the occasional German (phonetically spelled, i.e. Boswell must have picked up these phrases by ear), is kept in the language Boswell wrote them down in. Btw, seeing the English - which you already know - in the middle of the French really brings it home that Voltaire even in his old age was fluent (though at one point he asks Boswell to talk slower, though our editor notes this might also be due to JB's Scottish accent).
The editors also provide extensive footnotes on everyone mentioned, for which they quote out of Lehndorff's diaries (not just volume 1 but the other volumes as well!) a lot. (Sadly, if the two diarists met, neither of them wrote it down. Boswell did meet EC, though.) And they're good with thoroughness, so for example the time when Boswell hears the "Fritz: lots of sex with the ladies as a young men, now impotent as a result!" gossip, there's a footnote saying essentially: Frederick's sexuality: It's complicated, and source referencing various contradictory theories.
Now, on to the treasure trove, which this outing is. Apperantly at one point Boswell considered writing a travel book based on this, as he had done for the Hebrides and for Corsica, but the "Life" and various troubles ate up his time. It's a pity, because it really offers a lot, a great look at the German states directly after the 7 Years War, the various encounters with people both famous and now forgotten are always interesting, and there are very valuable details about travelling through the German states (and Switzerland) - the editors are good on this, too, pointing out that Boswell rents a coach when travelling with George Keith , Lord Marischal, but when travelling on his lonesome travels with the journaliere which is way cheaper and how non-nobles got along. (For example, that's his way of going from Berlin to Potsdam and back; at one point he shares it with the daughter of one of Ferdinand 's (as in the youngest Hohenzollern brother) cooks. Amusingly the editors point out that Boswell by managing to get himself invited a lot in the various towns and residences he visited saved a considerable sum of money for meals. (He also promoted himself to "Baron von Boswell" in order to score all these invites, though not when gatecrashing chez Rousseau and Voltaire.)
I tried to order the quotes by subject, starting with George Keith, Lord Marischal, whom Boswell brings to life in a way the various Fritz biographies I've read don't. George Keith, as a reminder, is distantly related to Boswell - a third cousin - which was Boswell's in. He's also not alone but in the company of his ward, a Turkish woman named Emetulla (Emet Ulla, Marie Emeté) de Froment. James Keith had rescued Emetulla as a child when his troops captured Ochakow during the Russo-Turkish war, and after James' death George Keith became her guardian. She had married one Denis-Daniel de Froment in the previous year, 1763, but had gone with George Keith to Scotland and was now returning with him to Prussia. In future years, she'd divorce her husband, with Boswell acting as essentially her divorce lawyer in order to preserve the inheritance she got from the Keiths to her and not let her husband have it. And yes, of course Boswell flirts with her a lot in this journal.
(She wasn't the only Turk whom George Keith had inherited from James Keith: there was also one Ibrahim, whom Boswell meets later ("he was to be a painter, but became a hypochondriack & has a pension from My Lord" and "Old Stepan the Calmuc", who used to be valet de chambre to first James, then George Keith, "but drank so that he was no longer to be trusted & now also has a pension".)
Oh, and another recurring thread: religion, because Boswell was another child of deeply Calvinist parents who was plagued by religious fears throughout his life.
All quotes from the year 1764, remember.
June 23: My Lord also talked of the Scots Highlanders with respect and affection, as the most brave and most generous People upon earth, and abused the harsh absurdity of our Government, for taking their cloths from them and extirpating their language by which means they will be at last reduced to a level with the other Inhabitants of Scotland; and so we shall lose the best Militia upon earth. The proper method was surely not to destroy the HIghlanders, but to render them attached to the Government, which would be no difficult matter, as the Chiefs are no longer disaffected. WE came at night to Herford. I found myself a new man. My ideas were altered. I had no gloomy fears. I talked with Madame de Froment, who had been educated Mahometan & who still believed that the Great Prophet was sent from God. This opened my mind. I resolved to be prudent, nor to own my many waverings. I was quite happy. I determined to get free of the clouds which hung upon me. I determined to be manly and content.
June 25, they are in Hannover the city, and George Keith alludes to an ongoing British fear, that Hannover would get British money through the royals: My Lord joked on the tea spoons, which seemed of Gold. Ay ay the money of old England in the Hannoverian Dominions. He assumed the character of Dictionary Johnson, in order to joke in this manner. He talked of somebody having stolen gold spoons. Very natural said I. Hear the Scotsman said he.
June 30th, now they are in Magdeburg: In the afternoon My Lord was very chatty. He told me that the Marquis d'Argens was a good-natured amiable man, and much liked by the King of Prussia. He is now old. He has married an actress, whom he keeps in great subjection. He has made her learn Greek, & I don't know how many things, merely to make her of use to him in his studies. He is a miserable Being, he is Hypochondriack & terrified of death. He had worn a flannel underwaistcoat four years & durt not take it off, for fear of catching cold. The King drove out one fear by another & told him that if he persisted to wear that waistcoat, his perspiration would be entirely stop'd & he must inevitably die. The Marquis agreed to quit his waistcoat. But it had so fixed itself upon him, that pieces of his skin came away with it. My lord as usual laughed at Religious gloom. I told him he had the felicity of a sound mind, which everybody has not. Good heaven! how fortunate is one man above another!
Tuesday July 3rd: Boswell and George Keith have now arrived in Potsdam: My Lord Marischal carried me to the Palace where he has an appartment assigned him by the King. He seemed just like one who comes to a good friend's house in the country, when the friend is of somewhat higher rank than the guest. Just as I come to Englintone. It was fine to see the old Scots Nobleman lodged in the Palace of Prussia, just as if he had been in the Abbey of Holyrood house.
Sanssouci description be found below, but first, on with the Lord Marischal quotes:
Monday July 23rd: Lord Marischal dined with us at Froment's. He & I talked of Jacobitism, as how there was something pathetic & generous in it, as it was espousing the cause of a distressed & ancient Royal House. My Lord however owned that they deserved to lose the throne of Britain. I own so too. I am sorry for them. I wish to forget them; and I love from my Soul 'Great George our King'.
(Burnet is Mitchell's secretary, of whom more below in the Mitchell section. Macpherson is a Highlander soldier in Prussian service whom Boswell h as befriended.)
Wednesday 5 September: Some days ago I wrote to My Lord Marischal that Mr. Burnet and I intended this day to have the nor of eating an Olio with his Lordship. At six we set out in a clever chaise. The day was good. My spirits were fine. (...) We found all well at Potsdam. My Lord gave us an Olio which I found excellent. After dinner we went & saw the Garden and House at Sans Souci. I looked with pleasure at the King's study, which is elegant, and has its books finely bound, as at Potsdam. In his bedchamber I found some verses at a table. We then went to the Gallery, where I saw the noble room and rich pictures with true relish. We then looked at the foundation of the house which the King is going to build for My Lord, which makes his Lordship very happy. AT night Macpherson and I dressed ourselves in the highland dress, of which Macpherson had two suits, and a fine frolic did we make of it. We wrote a card 'To The Right Honourable George Earl Marischal of Scotland', 'Two Highland Gentlemen Mrssr. Mcdonald & Mcintosh beg leave to have the honour of paying their respects to the Earl of Marischal. They ask pardon for troubling him at so untimely an hour.' The direction and the word 'untimely' were exxcellent. Away we went, & Scott & Burnet behind us, past the sentinels & went to My Lord's apartment in the Palace. I asked the Servant in German for My Lord & delivered the Card. His Lordship made us welcome. We stood just within his door, bowing much. He cried, 'Come in, Gentlemen, come in'. He advanced & immediately knew us, & asked how Cows sold. He took our joke in good part. We marched home again. Going & coming we were followed on the street; for, we spoke a barbarous language. I did at least; for I made it up. I supped on Sowans hearty, & were canty Chields. Burnet had a bed, & in te same room the HIghlanders lay on straw. This did I talk. Thus was I merry.
The Union is of course the one between Scotland and England.
Thursday 6 September. I rose stout & well. After breakfeast I disputed against the Union. Burnet was my Antagonist. After much warm disputation, I said, 'Sir, the love of our country is a sentiment. If you have it not, I cannot give it you by reasoning. I waited on Lord Marischal. (...) He was more affable than usual. I owned to him that I was afraid I could not do great things as a Scots Lawyer, & could wish to be in some other employement. As for the army (said he) it is too late. Then 'My Lord, might I not be employed abroad?' Sir you must begin as Secretary, & if you are not with a man to your mind, you are very unhappy. Then if you should be sent envoy if you are at a place, where there is little to do, you are idle & unhappy. If you have much to do, you are harrassed with anxiety. Well then My Lord, I would get into Parliament. No Sir. You would be obliged to stick to a Party right or wrong, thro ' thick & thro' thin. Or you must be singular & thought absurd. My Lord, if you go on, you'll chace me out of existence altogether. What say you to my following the law in Scotland moderately? jogging on between the Parliament House & Auchinleck, and sodoing pretty well. Indeed Sir I'm for your jogging on. Your Father will see that you do your best. He has a great liking for you, and you 'll very well together. Then My Lord will you write to him, that in the meantime he may allow me to travel a year? I will.
His Lordship then gave me my route by Switzerland, Italy and France. I was very happy, quite in the humour of revering the Old Earl. I thought on the Abbey of Holyrood-house. I thought of worthy Johnston. I talked with my Lord against the Union & how we had lost our spirit. I said You find Scotsmen in the HIghlands. But very few south of Tay. I ought to be valued, My Lord, as a rare Scot. He took down from his book-case the history of Robert the Bruce in old verse & made me a present of it, writing upon it 'Scotus Scoto' and saying now you must read this once every year. I had almost cried before the good old man. We dined with his Lordship. After dinner Burnet & I set out. He was excellent company. His stories flew thick. He insisted I should supp with him. I did so & merry we were. Yet, my gloomy eye saw the situation of an envoy in an unpleasing light. I am an unhappy dog.
Boswell, you would not have been a good envoy. (And for different reasons as to why Lehndorff would not have been.) Cultural attaché, yes.
Thursday 20 September:
All the morning was employed in writing. I dined Froment's, & after dinner we all walked. Madame la Turque said to me Vous avez un penchant vers la Melancholie. Il vous faut beaucoup de changements. I aid: Quelle donc doit etre mon pais? She replied 'Europe. Et qui doit etre ma femme? Froment exclaimed Un Chariot de Poste. Very ludicrous & well applied.
Saturday 22 September:
I past part of the morning with his Lordship, who gave me his good advices with an accuracy & a vivacity that amazed me. He is absolutely free of affectation, which I cannot understand; for I am sadly plagued by it. He joked with me, & said Well, Colonel! may you not only conquer Portugal, but Africa; and so triumph over the Moors. I took leave of him with a most respectful and affectionate embrace saying 'My Lord, you may always reckon upon me as upon a most faithful servant. My heart was big when I took my last adieu of the venerable Scots nobleman. I yet hope to see him again. I almost cried. AT this moment the tears are in my eyes. I dined at Froment's & took leave of my poor Turk with regret. WEll, she & I have past curious hours together. Honest Scott said If I come within sixty miles of you, I shall see you. Macpherson & Froment woked with me till I was out of the Gate, & then took leave. All these circumstances makr my being regarded. I mounted the post wagon. I found it cold & really hard enough. Courage!
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
(Speaking of, I'm not quite sure if you guys know about that one? It's a 700 page, two-volume book about George Keith from 1915, very heavy on the colourful narration without sourcing things and just skimming I found mistakes/omissions (Suhm alive after he should be, Boswell only coming to visit in Berlin instead of travelling with Keith), but one thing it has going for itself is that the author apparently had access to a lot of letters to and from and about Keith and quotes from them liberally.)
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
I just discovered that the same author (Edith Cuthell) also wrote two volumes about Wilhelmine in 1905. Seemingly in the same style, but this one has a bibliography at least and she thanks Koser among others for helping with her research. (Also, in her introduction she discusses the discovery of Wilhelmine's correspondence with Voltaire and she even seems to quote some of their letters, which is something I was asking about just yesterday, ha.)
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
If anyone wants any of these books in our library, just let me know.
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
Nice! And appropriate, now that you're in a salon. :)
The editors also provide extensive footnotes on everyone mentioned, for which they quote out of Lehndorff's diaries (not just volume 1 but the other volumes as well!) a lot.
Also nice!
(Sadly, if the two diarists met, neither of them wrote it down. Boswell did meet EC, though.)
What date did he meet EC, does he say? We could try cross-checking to see what Lehndorff was doing that day. (Still bitter about volume 3 of Lady Mary, covering the Wilhelmine-in-Italy period. One day! Or maybe Stabi has it?)
And they're good with thoroughness, so for example the time when Boswell hears the "Fritz: lots of sex with the ladies as a young men, now impotent as a result!" gossip, there's a footnote saying essentially: Frederick's sexuality: It's complicated, and source referencing various contradictory theories.
That's better than a lot of sources!
there are very valuable details about travelling through the German states (and Switzerland) - the editors are good on this, too, pointing out that Boswell rents a coach when travelling with George Keith , Lord Marischal, but when travelling on his lonesome travels with the journaliere which is way cheaper and how non-nobles got along.
I cannot find this in a quick google (I'm only getting "day laborer" results)--are there more details? I'm interested in this for fic research purposes: my characters are having to travel from London to Edinburgh to Lisbon to Madrid to Paris to Metz to Masevaux while being exiled nobles on a budget and attempting to preserve their anonymity because of the death sentence, so I at least want to know what their travel options are. Private coach is probably going to be the most plot-convenient, and I can handwave the cost, but I'd like to know what alternatives they have.
(He also promoted himself to "Baron von Boswell" in order to score all these invites, though not when gatecrashing chez Rousseau and Voltaire.)
Lol, I'd read that but forgotten it. Ha!
whom Boswell brings to life in a way the various Fritz biographies I've read don't
I've noticed (that he seems very flat in Fritz bios).
He's also not alone but in the company of his ward, a Turkish woman named Emetulla (Emet Ulla, Marie Emeté) de Froment...(She wasn't the only Turk whom George Keith had inherited from James Keith: there was also one Ibrahim, whom Boswell meets later ("he was to be a painter, but became a hypochondriack & has a pension from My Lord" and "Old Stepan the Calmuc"
Ah, okay. This is some additional context for Blanning's
the bachelor was attended by an exotic entourage known as “the menagerie,” comprising a Tibetan, a Kalmuck and a Moor.
I was not particularly impressed with the way the people of color were given a single sentence comparing them to animals. Contemporaries used that term, sure. In circa 2016, I expect a little more dignity for human beings. Thank you, Boswell and/or Boswell's editors.
He has married an actress, whom he keeps in great subjection. He has made her learn Greek, & I don't know how many things, merely to make her of use to him in his studies.
I hope not! I agree that many learned women had no better outlet for their education than to help their husbands (and not get credit for doing varying amounts of the work), but let's hope she actually enjoyed learning! (Also, Greek is awesome and my all-time favorite language, so I extra hope she enjoyed it. ;))
Boswell, you would not have been a good envoy. (And for different reasons as to why Lehndorff would not have been.) Cultural attaché, yes.
Yes, this. Also, in general, Boswell is an entertaining character for different reasons than Lehndorff, but I see what you mean about him and Lehndorff sharing a basic curiosity about the world around them that makes for interesting reading.
may you not only conquer Portugal, but Africa; and so triumph over the Moors.
Tangentially, that reminds me that I've been meaning to say that Wikipedia tells me that one person in our fandom who did make it to Africa is Prussian Count Rothenburg, in 1732, with the Spanish army.
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
July 15, and we do have the correspondonding Lehndorff entry, which is even referenced in the footnotes. Not least because unbeknowest to Boswell, poor EC was in a dreadful state of anxiety. See, on July 17, the official engagement party for future FW2 and Elisabeth the future MESSALINA was scheduled to happen, and as of two days before, Fritz still hadn't told her whether or not she was invited/supposed to come. (Bear in mind that future FW2 is her sister's son, and Elisabeth is her brother's daughter.) Only late in the afternoon did EC finally get the okay to come to her nephew and niece's engagement party. So while Lehndorff was actually present on that occasion, he was busy sending messages back and thro to the King's household to figure out whether or not the Queen could be at the party, and thus probably did not take particular notice of Mitchell presenting a fellow Scot.
(Heinrich wasn't invited, either, due to having pissed off Fritz with the non-salute. Everyone else - Amalie, Ferdinand & wife, AW's other kids, of course, the remaining Schwedt relations, and all of the surviving Brunswick clan - had been invited eons ago.)
This was also a few days after Fritz had ordered six court ladies, including Lehndorff's Frau von Katte, to show up at Sanssouci for a reception/ball and had them transported back to Berlin in the early morning rather than either have his wife there or let them stay the night.
Travelling in the year 1764 (i.e. bear this in mind - maybe conditions were even worse in 1730/1731, or maybe they were better, what with no recent war) - here I quote from the preface (!):
Private carriages for several passengers could be hired by the well-to-do, as Boswell did for Lord Marischal and his group. Large stage coaches were run by the princes of Thurn and Taxis who had a monopoly protected by the Holy Roman emperors. These Boswell must have taken for longer stretches along major roads. Less well known are the regional coaches he used in Prussia and in Hessen once he travelled on his own. HIs descripton of the cheap public conveyance called the "journalière", which operated between Berlin and Potsdam, emphasizes its primitive construction. NO more than an open cart made of wodden planks placed over wheels, it left its passengers ata the mercy of the elements, even of tree branches at eye level.
Worse than this open Postwagen were the vehicles enclosed with leather covers that let in little air and blocked the view to the outside. After Boswell banged his head against the rion rods on the roof of one of these "monstrous machines" which were part of the local "Hessen-Post", he preferred the open conveyances. But gentlemen did not use such vehicles, open or closed. Boswell carefully changed to the more respectable Extra-Post, reserved for one or two passengers, to enter Brunswick "as a gentleman" on his return visit in August. Yet the Extra-Post, more costly than the local coaches, brought new problems with it, since the wheels had to be greased at frequent intervals - an activity reported as "Smear-Gelt" (German: Schmiergeld) in Boswell's expense account. And the Extra-Post could be slower when fresh horses were not available, as Boswell was chargrined to find on his unexpectedly prolonged trip from Dresden to Gotha.
The journal, furthermore, vividly shows the deplorable state of the roads, which were usually rough and bumpy. Wrapping himself up in his greatcoat against the cold, Boswell feared that he would be helpless if the coach overturned. When such an accident actually happened, on the way to Kassel, he and the other passengers were left in a ditch, in the dark, and in the rain. Nor was there much choice of routes even between major places. Boswell, having travelled from Leipzig to Dresden, had to return to Leipzig before he could take the main route south to Gotha ,Mannheim and Karlsruhe. A fw days later, in Langensalza, the roads 'overflowed' with liquid mud. Prhaps that was why Boswell accepted an invitation in Langensalza to ride in a coach for even a short distance. Possibly for the same reason, he engaged a sedan chair in Kassel.
Safety in the town and city streets were also a concern. IN Bruswick, no one was allowed on the street ata night without a light, as Boswell discovered when he came close to being arrested (undismayed, he considered the experience "an adventure"). In Leipzig, the famous bridge with its elaborate one-way system for pedestrians and vehicles inspired him to write down the regulations for the flow of traffic. And lodgings for travellers varied considerably in quality. They could be pleasantly luxurious, as they were for Boswell in Berlin, but inns en route were often as uncomfortable as the vehicles. On the way to Frankfurt, where he had his worst experience, he lodged in a room with fourteen other adults and three children, though being acknowledged as "Herr Baron von Boswell", he was given the one available bed. On several occasions, seeking better air, Boswell chose to sleep on a bare floor or on straw - even i a stable in spite of the possible danger of being trampled by the horses. Fortunately, he had the courage and resilience required of travellers, especially in the autumn and winter months.
I'll say. For another contemporary source of travelling, might I suggest Lady Mary's Embassy Letters? She does cross the HRE and France en route to Turkey, twice, in 1717 and 1718, which is just a little more than a decade before your planned story. Of course, as a lady and an English envoy's wife she travels in private coach throughout, and also brings with her her own sheets and bed to use in the inns to keep the flees etc. at bare minimum. But she does stay in inns; only if she and her husband stay anywhere longer, as for example in Vienna, do they rent a house, and in Hannover they are staying with friends.
Both Boswell and Boswell's editor provide as much detail on the poc he meets as on the white folks, thankfully. And he doesn't use the term "menagerie" for George Keith's household at all.
Madame d'Argens: both the footnote and the Trier website disagree with her being "forced" to learn; see also Casanova's quite different take on D'Argens and wife a year years later when he meets them in France. Given that Lord Marischal is Boswell's source for this, I suspect Friend of Fritz George Keith was indulging in a very Fritzian take and exaggaration for satiric purposes.
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
Makes sense. Thanks for the cross-reference!
This was also a few days after Fritz had ordered six court ladies, including Lehndorff's Frau von Katte, to show up at Sanssouci for a reception/ball and had them transported back to Berlin in the early morning rather than either have his wife there or let them stay the night.
FRITZ. I will excuse you not wanting to see your wife, but you need to be organized!
Travelling in the year 1764 (i.e. bear this in mind - maybe conditions were even worse in 1730/1731, or maybe they were better, what with no recent war)
Yeah, I was thinking could go either way, but in a lot of places, probably worse because of the war.
- here I quote from the preface (!):
Only you could make me laugh so much with a single exclamation mark. A hit, a palpable hit!
For another contemporary source of travelling, might I suggest Lady Mary's Embassy Letters?
Yep, fic research is definitely a major reason she's on my list.
Both Boswell and Boswell's editor provide as much detail on the poc he meets as on the white folks, thankfully. And he doesn't use the term "menagerie" for George Keith's household at all.
Good for them!
Oh, btw, some good fairy went through
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
Re: Boswell in Prussia: Generalities & George Keith, Lord Marischal
Speaking of which, since I can't edit your posts, I'll leave it to you to add the latest findings to the existing Glasow post.