Ha, I just saw that Blanning even mentions him and quotes some of his Fritz-related reports (via Carlyle). Did not remember that.
This is why I periodically reread key works. When I first read Wilhelmine's memoirs, I had no idea who most of the characters in volume 1 were! And only recently did I get Duke Anton Ulrich straight in my head, just in time for my Suhm letters reread.
If FW thought he was working with the English in 1729 already, true or not (FW's paranoia is certainly not enough evidence)
Yep, that's the conclusion I came to. Btw, if Diaphane did nickname himself specifically for the drinking club, part of me thinks a possible interpretation was "transparent," i.e. "not hiding anything from you, FW, totally. Straightforward straight-shooter, I am!"
No wonder FW called him an arch villain whom he should have hanged in 1737, and that Fritz and Suhm had to take some precautions with their correspondence.
Indeed. We wondered at the time if there was a reason other than Fritz/Suhm, and now I think we've found it! Or one. Possibly he didn't convincingly drink enough. :P
... but now I'm wondering what it must have been like for Suhm to follow the whole 1730 drama from afar. :(
I've wondered that for a long time, especially since writing their post-1730 reunion in "Heaven." It wasn't all that afar--Suhm was in Berlin! Just not at court, or not officially. (Even if he was showing up at court from time to time, I bet he kept a low profile August-January that year.)
what we call "diplomatic" in English: phrasing things so as not to give offense
Same in German. :)
Good to know, thank you! (Learning German one word at a time, lol.)
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Re: Le Diable: The Political Biography - B
Date: 2021-03-15 10:12 pm (UTC)This is why I periodically reread key works. When I first read Wilhelmine's memoirs, I had no idea who most of the characters in volume 1 were! And only recently did I get Duke Anton Ulrich straight in my head, just in time for my Suhm letters reread.
If FW thought he was working with the English in 1729 already, true or not (FW's paranoia is certainly not enough evidence)
Yep, that's the conclusion I came to. Btw, if Diaphane did nickname himself specifically for the drinking club, part of me thinks a possible interpretation was "transparent," i.e. "not hiding anything from you, FW, totally. Straightforward straight-shooter, I am!"
No wonder FW called him an arch villain whom he should have hanged in 1737, and that Fritz and Suhm had to take some precautions with their correspondence.
Indeed. We wondered at the time if there was a reason other than Fritz/Suhm, and now I think we've found it! Or one. Possibly he didn't convincingly drink enough. :P
... but now I'm wondering what it must have been like for Suhm to follow the whole 1730 drama from afar. :(
I've wondered that for a long time, especially since writing their post-1730 reunion in "Heaven." It wasn't all that afar--Suhm was in Berlin! Just not at court, or not officially. (Even if he was showing up at court from time to time, I bet he kept a low profile August-January that year.)
what we call "diplomatic" in English: phrasing things so as not to give offense
Same in German. :)
Good to know, thank you! (Learning German one word at a time, lol.)