18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 37

[cahn]

More diaries of our favorite 18th-century Prussian diary-keeper have been unearthed and have been synopsized!

January 18th: Blessed be thou to me! Under your light, my Prince Heinrich was born!

Comments

Dog Addendum

[felis]

The last time we talked about the dogs, Biche's death date was still in question, but I got my hands on this catalogue, which has a short chapter on the dogs and it says that she died in 1752 and gives Volz' second volume of Fritz/Wilhelmine letters as the source, so that one checks out as suspected. (I still don't know what Preuss did there, but I suspect that the exact same date for her and Rothenburg also comes from something he got mixed up.)

The catalogue also says that Rothenburg, who'd been sent to Paris in spring 1744 to negotiate the treaty with France, brought Biche back with him as a gift for Fritz. But: no source given at all for that one. It does mention that Louis XV. owned English whippets (levrettes anglaises) as well, even had them painted, so there's some connection, but possibly that connection is where the idea came from instead of an actual source, who knows. It's a data point, though.

Finally, one more box bill the catalogue mentions and which I didn't get last time because it wasn't tagged for the dogs, even though it totally should have been:

March/April 1751: musician Bach [yes, Carl Philipp Emanuel] for two pieces of clothing, "so ihm die Mené entzwey gefreßen hat" - 59 taler and 12 groschen

Hee. Poor Musicus Bach, having his clothes destroyed by the dog.

Re: Dog Addendum

[mildred_of_midgard]

What?! This went to my spam folder? Google, don't you know that Fritz's dogs are highly Relevant to My Interests??! I only found it by accident, looking for another email I'm impatiently awaiting.

Well, now that I have seen it, thank you for the update, felis!

The catalogue also says that Rothenburg, who'd been sent to Paris in spring 1744 to negotiate the treaty with France, brought Biche back with him as a gift for Fritz. But: no source given at all for that one.

The lack of source continues to annoy me, but, the specific date and timing is new or at least a good refresher! I knew we'd seen 1744, but I don't remember seeing the bit about negotiating the treaty with Paris in the spring.

March/April 1751: musician Bach [yes, Carl Philipp Emanuel] for two pieces of clothing, "so ihm die Mené entzwey gefreßen hat" - 59 taler and 12 groschen

Hee. Poor Musicus Bach, having his clothes destroyed by the dog.

Awww, omg, that's amazing! I personally would consider it an honor to have my clothes destroyed by one of Fritz's dogs...except if I worked for him, at which point I'd be too infuriated over the low pay and constant micromanagement. :P

Re: Dog Addendum

[selenak]

Bach vs Alkmene: poor Bach indeed. And he probably had to say Sie to Alkmene while she was doing that. No wonder he eventually quit. (That, and Fritz' lack of appreciation for his orignal compositions...)

Re: Dog Addendum

[felis]

Not to mention the money! He only got 300 thaler base salary a year (later 500) - so those almost 60 for two pieces of clothing are quite a sum to get back at least.

Re: Dog Addendum

[mildred_of_midgard]

Zomg, you're right! I know the staff that took care of the dogs had to "Sie" them, I wouldn't be surprised if the royal musicians did too!

For his own sake, I hope C.P.E. Bach was a dog person.

ETA: Speaking of dog people, I still wish we knew what happened to the dogs that survived Fritz!