Of interest to us: Pöllnitz writes admiringly about the Countess Orzelska that he only saw her in "Amazonian" wardrobe, i.e. dressed as a man, and that she makes an extremely dashing, handsome guy.
I mean, this is the kind of gossipy sensationalism "hot or not?" crossdressing I come to salon for! :D
Poelnitz votes that the woman who may or may not have deflowered Fritz was definitely hot!
The Countess of Orzelka, who was born at Warsaw , of one Renard a French Woman, and bred up in the Roman Catholic Faith : She is of a good Stature, and very charming. Of all the late King's legitimated Children his Majesty seem 'd to be fond est of this. She was at first very much neglected , and it did not appear that the King ever intended to own her. But Count Rotofski seeing her at War saw in a Plight too mean for her Birth took the freedom to mention her to the King her Father , and told him that she merited some Kindness from him. The King thereupon desir' d to see her, and she came into his Presence in the Amazonian Habit, which was her favourite Dress. The King thought she resembled him very much, and not being able to resist the tender Impressions of Nature he embrac'd her, and callid her his Daughter. At the same time he order'd the whole Court to acknownledge her in that Quality, gave her a magnificent Palace , with Diamonds without number, and settled great Pensions on her . ' Tis certain , in short, that never was Daughter more like her Father ; she had the same Features, Temper and Genius. It was impossible for her to be handsomer with a more grand Air , She is fond of Magnificence, Expence , and Pleasures, One of her Diversions is to dress in Mens Apparel. It was in this Habit that I saw her the first time, when she was on horseback , in a pur ple Habit embroider 'd with Silver , and wore the blue Ribband of Poland. Being all alone, I could not learn who she was, but really took her to be some young Foreign Nobleman whom I had not yet seen. I never beheld any body fit better than she did on horseback , or have a more amiable Air ; insomuch , that many Ladies Ladies would have been glad of a Lover so handsome. The same evening I saw her at the Ball, where she was still dress'd like a Man, only her Habit was more rich than it was in the morning, and her dishevelld Locks of Hair hung down in fine Curls about her Shoulders ; so that Cupid himself was not more tempting when he appear'd before Psyche. Her goed Mien , and the graceful Air with which I saw her dance a Minuet, made me inquire who this pretty Youth was ? Count Rotofski, who overheard me, made answer, The young Man whom you admire wou'd do you no great harm if you were a Woman, but may posibly hurt you as the Case stands ; but come along with me, continued he, taking me by the Hand, I will make him known to you , then leave you to come off with him as well as you can, I guess’d by these Words that the Person he was going to usher me to was the Countess Orzelska ; and I was confirmed in my Suspicion when I heard Count Rotofski say to her, "Sister , here is a Gentleman who has all due Respects for you, and whom I'll engage will be ready to serve you in whatever you shall require of him . Madamoiselle Orzelska smiling at this Discourse , I saluted her with all the Respect which I ow 'd to her Rank.
BTW, had another quick look, and Pöllnitz, who passed through Bayreuth before Wilhelmine got there, confirms that the Old Margrave for austerity reasons (his own father had been a big spender) really let the place go down. I've always wondered whether or not she exaggarated in her first impressions. Now, Pöllnitz loves splendor so he's hardly unbiased, but he does write this early description independent from her and he also describes it as a shabby hellhole. Wilhelmine and her own Margrave later got accused on spending far too much money on buildings, but, well, there was a certain need, it seems...
Count Rotofski, who overheard me, made answer, The young Man whom you admire wou'd do you no great harm if you were a Woman, but may posibly hurt you as the Case stands
heeeeee I love this!
The King thereupon desir' d to see her, and she came into his Presence in the Amazonian Habit, which was her favourite Dress. The King thought she resembled him very much, and not being able to resist the tender Impressions of Nature he embrac'd her, and callid her his Daughter.
This is giving me all kinds of hilarious feelings, first because of the Amazonian Habit leading to August the Strong being all "hey, you look a lot like me!" and second because I am totally laughing reading this given the rumor that they were also lovers. But anyway :D
Well, if anyone would consider it sexy to have an affair with a younger female self, it would be a baroque prince like August the Strong!
Mind you, between this and "SD has inherited all of G1's wonderful qualities!" I'm sideeying Pöllnitz' propensity to consider "she's like her Dad!" as a compliment and losing hope it could be sarcasm in SD's case. Otoh, Orzelska being hot is treated as fact in other sources as well, and if she looked like a dashing young man in her "Amazonian habit" it certainly enhances the likelhood of her being young Fritz' first sexual experience!
Ha, that's very true! I could totally see Orzelska being a really useful sort of person for Fritz to have come across, so that he could see what this whole sex-with-women thing was about but also with a hot person who looked like a dashing young man :)
You're right, that might have been part of the appeal!
I'm now thinking of Formela, the dancer that Wilhelmine says was actually Fritz's first (iirc, he and Orzelska didn't consummate until her visit to Berlin), and Voltaire's comment that what Fritz liked about Barbarina was her muscular legs. Perhaps the same was true of Formela! #QuestioningGayBoy
Otoh, Orzelska being hot is treated as fact in other sources as well, and if she looked like a dashing young man in her "Amazonian habit" it certainly enhances the likelhood of her being young Fritz' first sexual experience!
The Orzelska passage was interesting on its own, but yes, this, too! I like it.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-15 05:07 am (UTC)I mean, this is the kind of gossipy sensationalism "hot or not?" crossdressing I come to salon for! :D
Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-15 05:50 pm (UTC)The Countess of Orzelka, who was born at Warsaw , of one Renard a French Woman, and bred up in the Roman Catholic Faith : She is of a good Stature, and very charming. Of all the late King's legitimated Children his Majesty seem 'd to be fond est of this. She was at first very much neglected , and it did not appear that the King ever intended to
own her. But Count Rotofski seeing her at War saw in a Plight too mean for her Birth took the freedom to mention her to the King her Father , and told him that she merited some Kindness from him.
The King thereupon desir' d to see her, and she came into his Presence in the Amazonian Habit, which was her favourite Dress. The King thought she resembled him very much, and not being able to resist the tender Impressions of Nature he embrac'd her, and callid her his Daughter. At the same time he order'd the whole Court to acknownledge her in that Quality, gave her a magnificent Palace , with Diamonds without number, and settled great Pensions on her . ' Tis certain , in short, that never was Daughter more like her Father ; she had the same Features, Temper and Genius. It was impossible for her to be handsomer with a more grand Air , She is fond of Magnificence, Expence , and Pleasures, One of her Diversions is to dress in Mens Apparel. It was in this Habit that I saw her the first time, when she was on horseback , in a pur ple Habit embroider 'd with Silver , and wore the blue Ribband of Poland. Being all alone, I could not learn who she was, but really took her to be some young Foreign Nobleman whom I had not yet seen. I never beheld any body fit better than she did on horseback , or have a more amiable Air ; insomuch , that many Ladies Ladies would have been glad of a Lover so handsome. The same evening I saw her at the Ball, where she was still dress'd like a Man, only her Habit was more rich than it was in the morning, and her dishevelld Locks of Hair hung down in fine Curls about her Shoulders ; so that Cupid himself was not more tempting when he appear'd before Psyche. Her goed Mien , and the graceful Air with which I saw her dance a Minuet, made me inquire who this pretty Youth was ? Count Rotofski, who overheard me, made answer, The young Man whom you admire wou'd do you no great harm if you were a Woman, but may posibly hurt you as the Case stands ; but come along with me, continued he, taking me by the Hand, I will make him known to you , then leave you to come off with him as well as you can, I guess’d by these Words that the Person he was going to usher me to was the Countess Orzelska ; and I was confirmed in my Suspicion when I heard Count Rotofski say to her, "Sister , here is a Gentleman who has all due Respects for you, and whom I'll engage will be ready to serve you in whatever you shall require of him . Madamoiselle Orzelska smiling at this Discourse , I saluted her with all the Respect which I ow 'd to her Rank.
BTW, had another quick look, and Pöllnitz, who passed through Bayreuth before Wilhelmine got there, confirms that the Old Margrave for austerity reasons (his own father had been a big spender) really let the place go down. I've always wondered whether or not she exaggarated in her first impressions. Now, Pöllnitz loves splendor so he's hardly unbiased, but he does write this early description independent from her and he also describes it as a shabby hellhole. Wilhelmine and her own Margrave later got accused on spending far too much money on buildings, but, well, there was a certain need, it seems...
Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-16 05:09 am (UTC)Count Rotofski, who overheard me, made answer, The young Man whom you admire wou'd do you no great harm if you were a Woman, but may posibly hurt you as the Case stands
heeeeee I love this!
The King thereupon desir' d to see her, and she came into his Presence in the Amazonian Habit, which was her favourite Dress. The King thought she resembled him very much, and not being able to resist the tender Impressions of Nature he embrac'd her, and callid her his Daughter.
This is giving me all kinds of hilarious feelings, first because of the Amazonian Habit leading to August the Strong being all "hey, you look a lot like me!" and second because I am totally laughing reading this given the rumor that they were also lovers. But anyway :D
Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-16 08:37 am (UTC)Mind you, between this and "SD has inherited all of G1's wonderful qualities!" I'm sideeying Pöllnitz' propensity to consider "she's like her Dad!" as a compliment and losing hope it could be sarcasm in SD's case. Otoh, Orzelska being hot is treated as fact in other sources as well, and if she looked like a dashing young man in her "Amazonian habit" it certainly enhances the likelhood of her being young Fritz' first sexual experience!
Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-18 04:53 am (UTC)Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-21 12:05 am (UTC)I'm now thinking of Formela, the dancer that Wilhelmine says was actually Fritz's first (iirc, he and Orzelska didn't consummate until her visit to Berlin), and Voltaire's comment that what Fritz liked about Barbarina was her muscular legs. Perhaps the same was true of Formela! #QuestioningGayBoy
Re: Pöllnitz and Gian Gastone
Date: 2021-07-20 11:17 am (UTC)The Orzelska passage was interesting on its own, but yes, this, too! I like it.