Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 40

[cahn]

I'm trying to use my other account at least occasionally so I posted about my Yuletide gifts there, including the salon-relevant 12k fic that features Fritz, Heinrich, Voltaire, Fredersdorf, Saint Germain, Caroline Daum (Fredersdorf's wife), and Groundhog Day tropes! (Don't need to know canon.)

Comments

Re: Pop Quiz opportunity for Fredericians

[mildred_of_midgard]

Transverse flute: I don't think FW cared which kind of flute, one way or the other. He objected to Fritz playing an instrument as his main passion, full stop.

Agreed.

tops it with declaring he even contemplated killing himself before getting married, which, no

I don't believe for a minute he contemplated it, but he definitely threatened it in a letter to Grumbkow! Feb 19, 1732, Google translated from Trier:

Judge, my dear General, if I must have been greatly charmed by the description you give of the abominable object of my desires. For the love of God, let the King be undeceived on his subject, and let him remember that fools, for the most part, are the most stubborn. So a few months ago he wrote a letter to Wolden, in which at least he wanted to give me the choice of some princesses; I do not hope that he will give himself the lie. I rely entirely on the letter that Schulenburg will give you, for there is neither hope of good, nor reason, nor fortune that can make me change my feeling, and unhappy for unhappy, that is all the same. Let the King think only that he is not marrying me for himself, and that it is for me; and he himself will have a thousand sorrows to see two people who hate each other, and the most unhappy marriage in the world, to hear mutual complaints which will be so many reproaches to him for having erected the instrument of our yoke. As a good Christian, let him reflect if it is right to want to force people, to cause divorces, and to be the cause of all the sins that an ill-suited marriage makes us commit. I'm determined rather than anything, and since things are like this, you can somehow let the Duke know, come what may, that I'll never take her. I have been unhappy all my life, and I believe it is my destiny to remain so; you have to be patient, and take time as it comes. Perhaps such a sudden fortune which would follow all the sorrows which I have professed since I was born would have made me proud. Finally, whatever happens, I have nothing to reproach myself with; I have suffered enough for an exaggerated crime, and I do not want to undertake to extend my sorrows to future times. I still have resources, and a pistol shot can deliver me from my sorrows and from my life; I believe that the good Lord would not damn me for that, and, having pity on me, in exchange for a miserable life, will grant me salvation. This is what despair can bring a young person whose blood is not so stale as that of a septuagenarian. I feel, sir, and when one hates the ways of force as much as I do, that our boiling blood always carries us to extremities.

I strongly approve of the Emperor's courier, who condemns the senseless action of his sister-in-law. What ridicule does this woman give herself in the world, which consequently reflects on her daughter! If there are honest people in the world, they must think of saving me from one of the most perilous steps I have ever taken. I am consumed in melancholy thoughts, and I am afraid I cannot conceal my grief. This is the state in which I find myself.

Re: Pop Quiz opportunity for Fredericians

[selenak]

Ah, I remembered just this part: Let the King think only that he is not marrying me for himself, and that it is for me; and he himself will have a thousand sorrows to see two people who hate each other, and the most unhappy marriage in the world, to hear mutual complaints which will be so many reproaches to him for having erected the instrument of our yoke. As a good Christian, let him reflect if it is right to want to force people, to cause divorces, and to be the cause of all the sins that an ill-suited marriage makes us commit.

(Heinrich: Would that Fritz had remembered that part.
Fritz: I did.)

But not "a pistol shot can deliver me from my sorrows and from my life". Okay, then the Vid makers and whichever biography they have this from are excused, though I agree he's bluffing here. Also, isn't there also a later quote where he says (to Wilhelmine or someone else) he made the protests extra massive so FW would feel Fritz made a really big concession when inevitably caving on the marriage front?

Re: Pop Quiz opportunity for Fredericians

[mildred_of_midgard]

Fritz: I did.

Oooouch.

Okay, then the Vid makers and whichever biography they have this from are excused

It's in MacDonogh, which is where I learned it from. I know he has his problems, but the more salon has gone on, the more I think he's a goldmine of primary sources, and once I get my French and German up, I still dream of going through his footnotes and reading some of his citations for more context. I still hate him for using the "first footnote" citation and not having a separate bibliography I can browse, but at least he *does* cite almost all his sources. Something I'm beginning to appreciate by comparison with the competition...

though I agree he's bluffing here

The whole correspondence between him and FW and Grumbkow here shows that Fritz is desperately trying to play them off against each other, but the vid makers cannot be expected to know this and can be forgiven for taking the letter at face value.

Also, isn't there also a later quote where he says (to Wilhelmine or someone else) he made the protests extra massive so FW would feel Fritz made a really big concession when inevitably caving on the marriage front?

I don't remember it, but I haven't read their correspondence, so there very well may be!