cahn | Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 45

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Unfortunately, there was then at Berlin a King who pursued one policy only, who deceived his enemies, but not his servants, and who lied without scruple, but never without necessity.

(from The King's Secret - by Duke de Broglie, grand-nephew of the subject of the book, Comte de Broglie, and grandfather of the physicist) )

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From:

selenak

That was entertaining, thank you! LOL about the parrot-Russian in particular.

here is ocular view of the shrill-minded, serious and ingenious Henri

"Shrill-Minded": say what? Because he's Fritz critical? Interesting, btw, that Carlyle knows Catherine's letter to Fritz asking for the permission for Heinrich's trip, but evidently NOT about the fact Heinrich asked her to write said letter once he's safely in Sweden.

Lehndorff: Also, I, too, could be critical of Heinrich, especially about his taste in men, but I would like to offer my characterisation of him during the same era:

Never have there been two men less fitting with each other than the Prince and Kaphengst. The former, all mind, passion and fire, loves a debauched, ignorant man who only loves women and gambling. When they are together, they bore each other. And still of all the men who‘ve enjoyed his favour, this one has evoked the most passion from him, and if the good Prince weren‘t in debts himself now, he‘d probably give as much to Kaphengst as he‘s already given him. I have so often pondered the human mind; my own stands still every time when I see he won‘t be led to reason!

End of Lehndorff diary entry.

So great are his military talents, that his Brother, who is not apt to pay compliments, says of him,— That, in commanding an army, he was never known to commit a fault. This, however, is but a negative kind of praise. He [the King] reserves to himself the glory of superior genius, which, though capable of brilliant achievements, is yet liable to unwary mistakes: and allows him no other than the praise of correctness.

That's interesting, because that was indeed my father's first interpretation of the famous "the only general who didn't commit a fault in the 7 Years war" quote, i.e., that it's only a compliment on the surface but actually a put down, i.e. Heinrich is cautious and avarage, Fritz is brilliant and erratic. I'm not so sure. I mean, absolutely believe that Fritz thought he was the superior military genius, and was more than capable of fraternal disses, subtle and otherwise, but firstly, in the situation where he said the famous quote, he actually did want to pay Heinrich a compliment and was feeling somewhat sentimental and grateful, and secondly, "allows him no other than the praise of correctness" isn't true. He wrote re: Prague "Heinrich has done wonders" in his letters, and in one of their public arguments Henckel von Donnersmark writes about in his diary actually accused him of being too reckless in terms of personal bravery, which is the kind of insult that's definitely also a compliment if you've drunken the Prussian cool aid.

He is dark-complexioned

That's the only bit of physical description actually new to me, and interesting because given all the powder men applied on formal occasions like the ones where the Ambassador would have seen him, that means he really must have been bronzed. Then again, he'd been travelling for months in Scandinavia and Russia, and the former during those months when the sun hardly ever sets.

Edited Date: 2023-09-23 01:17 pm (UTC)

From:

mildred_of_midgard

"Shrill-Minded": say what? Because he's Fritz critical?

I assume so, yes, admittedly without having read Carlyle all the way through. (Unfortunately, I cannot handle 6 volumes of that writing style. It's like seasoning: only good in small doses.)

That's interesting, because that was indeed my father's first interpretation of the famous "the only general who didn't commit a fault in the 7 Years war" quote, i.e., that it's only a compliment on the surface but actually a put down, i.e. Heinrich is cautious and avarage, Fritz is brilliant and erratic. I'm not so sure.

It could be "I'm still better, but well done," i.e. a sincere compliment of limited force. I mean, Fritz *did* think the big pitched battle was the only way to win a war, so while he might be impressed that Heinrich never gave Fritz the opportunity to scapegoat him, Fritz might also be implicitly reserving the final, highest praise for himself.

He is dark-complexioned

That's the only bit of physical description actually new to me

Yeah, same, and I too was surprised. All those sleigh rides, I guess!

Finally: LOL again at the parrot.

From:

cahn

It could be "I'm still better, but well done," i.e. a sincere compliment of limited force.

Heh, as an older sibling, I'm... gonna say I could totally see how it could be this one :P