The next letter from Tido, November 1743, is very melodramatic. It opens thus:
Madame, My very dear and very honored mother,
Do not be offended, Madame, I beg you, that I dare to give you this name after all that I have done to lead you to no longer give me that of your son.
Someone's been disowned! Either that, or she's not writing to him, and he's extrapolating passive aggressively. (He's extremely passive aggressive, it's amazing. You'll see.)
Then he grovels, saying he was initially stubborn, but now that he's run out of money he sees the error of his ways, and repents! (He doesn't say anything about money at this point, but we'll get to that.) So much so that if she's not going to take him back into her good graces, he's going to roam the earth, seeking out danger, until he DIES, because that's obviously what she wants.
I have done everything possible to achieve this goal, but my example will prove to you, Madam, that although one may desire death, it is as eager to pursue those who avoid it as it is careful to flee those who seek it.
First he went to sea for three months, which was incredibly terrible and dangerous! But all his suffering only made him think that a sea voyage was the way to go. So he embarked on another ship at Marseilles, one bound for Martinique (yes, the one in the West Indies).
Unfortunately, his conscience, which weighed so heavily on him, combined with the storms to give him a high fever, so much so that he had to be put ashore at Valencia. A bad French surgeon gave up on him, but he recovered anyway! Slowly and painfully and he almost died.
Since the evil fate that stalks him wouldn't allow him to die, he decided to try *again* to go to America. He returned to Marseilles, but then he discovered that the army was going to try to cross the Alps.
"I know! That sounds dangerous! Just the place for me."
Google translated for speed, sorry for the clunkiness:
It would be out of place if I were to amuse myself by detailing this expedition to you at length, which would otherwise deserve it, but I could appear to want to arouse your compassion by stories that may be found exaggerated. I will be content to tell you a few words about our retreat, during which we were made to pass through the thickest snow of the most terrible mountains and precipices that nature has ever formed, while there was not a single soldier in the whole army who had not been absolutely fasting for at least twenty-four hours, by which you will see that it is rather difficult to decide whether it was hunger or cold that caused the death of three hundred and seventy-two soldiers and two officers of our small French army, and eight hundred soldiers and ninety-two officers of the Spanish army, on that single day.
It is impossible to determine the number of those who had frozen feet or hands, it goes beyond what you might imagine.
I do not know whether to call good or bad my destiny which made me survive so many evils, which I was perhaps less able to bear than any of those who succumbed to them, this reflection persuades me that Heaven, more favorable to me than I deserve, did not want me to lose this life, which I have so often prayed to take from me, in the bad dispositions in which I was, it pleased it (Heaven) to preserve me to give me time to beg you to remove from me your curse, which will not cease to pursue me and from which even death which I believed to be the only remedy for my evils could not have delivered me.
Then he blames the evil advisors for turning her against him.
Then he grovels some more.
Then in a postscript he sends his love to his brothers and sisters. Then he mentions having sent a message to Monsieur Girard regarding a reply that he hoped from her. At which I promptly went, "Ooohhh. Money is a problem!"
You may remember from the Leining letters that "Messrs Girard Michelet & Comp." were paying out d'Alembert's pension in Paris, which led us to conclude they were bankers or some such.
Well, subsequent letters will demonstrate that 1) I was right, money is *the* problem, 2) Monsieur Girard is deeply involved in these transactions, so yes.
In 1744, there will be money, Peter, and more shenanigans!
LOL, this is the 18th century male for you. Also, if Mom is angry at him and doesn't provide enough cash via banker, this could be either because Fritz is angry at her (never a good thing), or she really is as thrifty a per her reputation.
Anyway, I could see her thinking "we just got rid of FW! this could have been a great new start with the new King, and you just HAD to publish and piss him off!"
Also, if Mom is angry at him and doesn't provide enough cash via banker, this could be either because Fritz is angry at her (never a good thing), or she really is as thrifty a per her reputation.
Well, we know Fritz is angry, *and* we know she has 5 daughters to marry and was counting on Peter to be the breadwinner, and was planning on leaving Berlin (I always wondered if that wasn't a bluff--but now that I see how mad at her Fritz was, I don't think it would be a very effective bluff; it's not like he wants her to stay!) if Peter wasn't going to marry Oriane. So I think a certain amount of thriftiness plays into it too.
As noted in my other post, she can't win, no matter what she does.
Anyway, I could see her thinking "we just got rid of FW! this could have been a great new start with the new King, and you just HAD to publish and piss him off!"
I doubt he published; the battle was in mid-April, he was arrested in mid-June, and he was with the army the whole time. I think he circulated it among friends and fellow officers, and it came to the attention of someone who *did* want to get off to a great new start with the new king.
Do not be offended, Madame, I beg you, that I dare to give you this name after all that I have done to lead you to no longer give me that of your son.
Awwww, so dramatic!
So much so that if she's not going to take him back into her good graces, he's going to roam the earth, seeking out danger, until he DIES, because that's obviously what she wants.
Alas! Woe!
Then in a postscript he sends his love to his brothers and sisters. Then he mentions having sent a message to Monsieur Girard regarding a reply that he hoped from her. At which I promptly went, "Ooohhh. Money is a problem!"
Your commentary here made me laugh! It's very appropriate. Such melodrama!
I have to say, the melodrama makes a nice break from most of the content of these papers, which I'm not sharing because it's sooo boring. I'm curating the most exciting dramas for salon. :)
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timeasmymeasure
A Knyphausen Vagabond - Part 1
Date: 2025-01-13 02:49 pm (UTC)Madame,
My very dear and very honored mother,
Do not be offended, Madame, I beg you, that I dare to give you this name after all that I have done to lead you to no longer give me that of your son.
Someone's been disowned! Either that, or she's not writing to him, and he's extrapolating passive aggressively. (He's extremely passive aggressive, it's amazing. You'll see.)
Then he grovels, saying he was initially stubborn, but now
that he's run out of moneyhe sees the error of his ways, and repents! (He doesn't say anything about money at this point, but we'll get to that.) So much so that if she's not going to take him back into her good graces, he's going to roam the earth, seeking out danger, until he DIES, because that's obviously what she wants.I have done everything possible to achieve this goal, but my example will prove to you, Madam, that although one may desire death, it is as eager to pursue those who avoid it as it is careful to flee those who seek it.
First he went to sea for three months, which was incredibly terrible and dangerous! But all his suffering only made him think that a sea voyage was the way to go. So he embarked on another ship at Marseilles, one bound for Martinique (yes, the one in the West Indies).
Unfortunately, his conscience, which weighed so heavily on him, combined with the storms to give him a high fever, so much so that he had to be put ashore at Valencia. A bad French surgeon gave up on him, but he recovered anyway! Slowly and painfully and he almost died.
Since the evil fate that stalks him wouldn't allow him to die, he decided to try *again* to go to America. He returned to Marseilles, but then he discovered that the army was going to try to cross the Alps.
"I know! That sounds dangerous! Just the place for me."
Google translated for speed, sorry for the clunkiness:
It would be out of place if I were to amuse myself by detailing this expedition to you at length, which would otherwise deserve it, but I could appear to want to arouse your compassion by stories that may be found exaggerated. I will be content to tell you a few words about our retreat, during which we were made to pass through the thickest snow of the most terrible mountains and precipices that nature has ever formed, while there was not a single soldier in the whole army who had not been absolutely fasting for at least twenty-four hours, by which you will see that it is rather difficult to decide whether it was hunger or cold that caused the death of three hundred and seventy-two soldiers and two officers of our small French army, and eight hundred soldiers and ninety-two officers of the Spanish army, on that single day.
It is impossible to determine the number of those who had frozen feet or hands, it goes beyond what you might imagine.
I do not know whether to call good or bad my destiny which made me survive so many evils, which I was perhaps less able to bear than any of those who succumbed to them, this reflection persuades me that Heaven, more favorable to me than I deserve, did not want me to lose this life, which I have so often prayed to take from me, in the bad dispositions in which I was, it pleased it (Heaven) to preserve me to give me time to beg you to remove from me your curse, which will not cease to pursue me and from which even death which I believed to be the only remedy for my evils could not have delivered me.
Then he blames the evil advisors for turning her against him.
Then he grovels some more.
Then in a postscript he sends his love to his brothers and sisters. Then he mentions having sent a message to Monsieur Girard regarding a reply that he hoped from her. At which I promptly went, "Ooohhh. Money is a problem!"
You may remember from the Leining letters that "Messrs Girard Michelet & Comp." were paying out d'Alembert's pension in Paris, which led us to conclude they were bankers or some such.
Well, subsequent letters will demonstrate that 1) I was right, money is *the* problem, 2) Monsieur Girard is deeply involved in these transactions, so yes.
In 1744, there will be money, Peter, and more shenanigans!
Re: A Knyphausen Vagabond - Part 1
Date: 2025-01-13 05:11 pm (UTC)Anyway, I could see her thinking "we just got rid of FW! this could have been a great new start with the new King, and you just HAD to publish and piss him off!"
Re: A Knyphausen Vagabond - Part 1
Date: 2025-01-14 12:12 pm (UTC)Well, we know Fritz is angry, *and* we know she has 5 daughters to marry and was counting on Peter to be the breadwinner, and was planning on leaving Berlin (I always wondered if that wasn't a bluff--but now that I see how mad at her Fritz was, I don't think it would be a very effective bluff; it's not like he wants her to stay!) if Peter wasn't going to marry Oriane. So I think a certain amount of thriftiness plays into it too.
As noted in my other post, she can't win, no matter what she does.
Anyway, I could see her thinking "we just got rid of FW! this could have been a great new start with the new King, and you just HAD to publish and piss him off!"
I doubt he published; the battle was in mid-April, he was arrested in mid-June, and he was with the army the whole time. I think he circulated it among friends and fellow officers, and it came to the attention of someone who *did* want to get off to a great new start with the new king.
Re: A Knyphausen Vagabond - Part 1
Date: 2025-01-15 06:15 am (UTC)Awwww, so dramatic!
So much so that if she's not going to take him back into her good graces, he's going to roam the earth, seeking out danger, until he DIES, because that's obviously what she wants.
Alas! Woe!
Then in a postscript he sends his love to his brothers and sisters. Then he mentions having sent a message to Monsieur Girard regarding a reply that he hoped from her. At which I promptly went, "Ooohhh. Money is a problem!"
Lol!
Re: A Knyphausen Vagabond - Part 1
Date: 2025-01-15 10:54 am (UTC)I have to say, the melodrama makes a nice break from most of the content of these papers, which I'm not sharing because it's sooo boring. I'm curating the most exciting dramas for salon. :)