ARGH. I was hoping for more gossipy sensationalism at best, ideally some tidbits relevant to our interests, and at worst, some inspiration for you to teach us more about German principalities (which is why I wanted you to read it for us, because even if I finish it, my background knowledge is far sketchier than yours, and I don't have awesome pictures of waterworks.)
Also, there's a lot of "ethonographic" stuff, i.e. Germans in general are slower than quick witted French people, and Bavarians are the most stupid, slowest Germans of all. (That would be me.)
I'm sorry you had to read this. :( Although I *am* having a bit of a chuckle imagining what the OTHER Germans are like, if you're the slowest and stupidest. *g* Einsteins and Michelangelos, the lot of them.
As for Montesquieu's general "slowness" and "thickness" complaints, I'm assuming he spoke French to everyone, meaning most people he talked to were talking in a foreign language, since he didn't talk to Prussian Huguenots or their descendants....
I'm reminded of your headcanon for why Fredersdorf didn't want to speak French to Fritz. I'm also reminded of this bit by Eddie Izzard:
English people in general have a problem. We tend to go into the world, going, “Hello, hello… Hello, do you speak English? Hello!” You know, in Afghanistan. “Hello, sausage, egg and chips, please… A sausage, egg and chips. Okay, two sausages. Do you speak English? You just don’t try, do you?! Here all day speaking Afghan…”
Here all day speaking German... :P
As aristocratic travellers of the era (first half of the 18th century) go, give me Lady Mary instead any time. Or the Duc de Croy. They also have their likes and dislikes, but they strike me as way more observant and insightful than Montesquieu.
Yeah, I can see why. Alas! Well, I'm glad it was only a library copy and you didn't fork over for it.
My dear, I exposed you to more than one Fritzian diss of Canadian savages; it's okay. It's just that previous travelogues had spoiled me, and the preface does unduly hype.
One bit perhaps of (sad) interest: Montesquieu when writing about MT's mother says tactfully she "still bears traces of the greatest beauty of any princess in Europe" in 1728, when he meets her. Lady Mary when meeting her in 1717 (when she was pregnant with MT) did describe her as the most beautiful princess she's seen in Europe. (Which, btw, means she considers young Elisabeth Christine the first more beautiful than Caroline, whom she does know.) This is what all the quack cures and "diets" and of course the pregnancies and stillbirths did in a decade.
My dear, I exposed you to more than one Fritzian diss of Canadian savages;
Lol, that's completely different! (Plus I had run into more than one before I met you, I think I was the one who pointed out Fritz's opinions there. You were just the one who made it memorably hilarious with your Rheinsberg ghost ficlet. :P)
Anyway, I'm sorry it was a letdown. I guess we've been spoiled by random books turning out to be amazing or have amazing discoveries over and over again.
This is what all the quack cures and "diets" and of course the pregnancies and stillbirths did in a decade.
That is sad. I hope the food and alcohol and porn were enjoyable while they lasted, because that was a high price to pay for them. :(
Although I *am* having a bit of a chuckle imagining what the OTHER Germans are like, if you're the slowest and stupidest. *g* Einsteins and Michelangelos, the lot of them.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Montesquieu I: How not to travel through Germany in the first half of the 18th Century
Date: 2021-08-07 10:52 pm (UTC)Also, there's a lot of "ethonographic" stuff, i.e. Germans in general are slower than quick witted French people, and Bavarians are the most stupid, slowest Germans of all. (That would be me.)
I'm sorry you had to read this. :( Although I *am* having a bit of a chuckle imagining what the OTHER Germans are like, if you're the slowest and stupidest. *g* Einsteins and Michelangelos, the lot of them.
As for Montesquieu's general "slowness" and "thickness" complaints, I'm assuming he spoke French to everyone, meaning most people he talked to were talking in a foreign language, since he didn't talk to Prussian Huguenots or their descendants....
I'm reminded of your headcanon for why Fredersdorf didn't want to speak French to Fritz. I'm also reminded of this bit by Eddie Izzard:
English people in general have a problem. We tend to go into the world, going, “Hello, hello… Hello, do you speak English? Hello!” You know, in Afghanistan. “Hello, sausage, egg and chips, please… A sausage, egg and chips. Okay, two sausages. Do you speak English? You just don’t try, do you?! Here all day speaking Afghan…”
Here all day speaking German... :P
As aristocratic travellers of the era (first half of the 18th century) go, give me Lady Mary instead any time. Or the Duc de Croy. They also have their likes and dislikes, but they strike me as way more observant and insightful than Montesquieu.
Yeah, I can see why. Alas! Well, I'm glad it was only a library copy and you didn't fork over for it.
Re: Montesquieu I: How not to travel through Germany in the first half of the 18th Century
Date: 2021-08-08 01:48 pm (UTC)My dear, I exposed you to more than one Fritzian diss of Canadian savages; it's okay. It's just that previous travelogues had spoiled me, and the preface does unduly hype.
One bit perhaps of (sad) interest: Montesquieu when writing about MT's mother says tactfully she "still bears traces of the greatest beauty of any princess in Europe" in 1728, when he meets her. Lady Mary when meeting her in 1717 (when she was pregnant with MT) did describe her as the most beautiful princess she's seen in Europe. (Which, btw, means she considers young Elisabeth Christine the first more beautiful than Caroline, whom she does know.) This is what all the quack cures and "diets" and of course the pregnancies and stillbirths did in a decade.
Re: Montesquieu I: How not to travel through Germany in the first half of the 18th Century
Date: 2021-08-08 06:10 pm (UTC)Lol, that's completely different! (Plus I had run into more than one before I met you, I think I was the one who pointed out Fritz's opinions there. You were just the one who made it memorably hilarious with your Rheinsberg ghost ficlet. :P)
Anyway, I'm sorry it was a letdown. I guess we've been spoiled by random books turning out to be amazing or have amazing discoveries over and over again.
This is what all the quack cures and "diets" and of course the pregnancies and stillbirths did in a decade.
That is sad. I hope the food and alcohol and porn were enjoyable while they lasted, because that was a high price to pay for them. :(
Re: Montesquieu I: How not to travel through Germany in the first half of the 18th Century
Date: 2021-08-16 05:20 am (UTC)Right?!