Ahhh, I had forgotten that! Thank you for the reminder, that makes a lot of sense.
Interestingly, I just found a series of letters from Rosignan complaining about his health, starting in October 1777, so that may have been a factor in his recall as well:
Since we parted I have been very unfortunate. I have neither taken the water nor the baths at ---- in Bohemia. I had to throw myself on a bed, being taken with a phlegmonous erysipelas; on account of which I had to undergo an operation which has detained me until now. As I came to this place only in the beginning of the month, I hoped it would be all over when I arrived, but my legs are still in a bad way, and I do not go out.
He's apparently very pro-United States, writing to a Yankee tax dodger envoy to Europe, and sending his compliments to Franklin, whom he has met and remembers fondly. This is interesting, because in one of the letters from Poyntz that I browsed, British Poyntz was outraged by an attempted mutiny in the army of Sardinia making seditious noises about liberty! (I may be misremembering the details, but I remember thinking, oh, hey, it's 1778.)
Also, Rosignan seems to be into science as well; he's talking about the supposed invention of the telescope, and his own, semi-successful attempts to create his own electrophon at home. Interesting. I wonder what opinions he held about fixed air. :P
Well, while Fritz himself wasn't too fond of "Canadians", and of course the Württemberg and Hesse money wasting princes sold entire regiments to the Brits to get their hands on more cash, I believe general feeling in Prussia and other German states as well as in other European states ran in sympathy with the Yankee tax dodgers. And let's not forget Steuben is over there drilling the army. So Rosignan probably heard a lot of pro Revolutiuonaries chatter in the Berlin salons. (When did Lafayette visit and rave about Fritz' eyes and Heinrich's company again?)
(Even in the UK, feelings were mixed. If Dr. Johnson was Team Taxation No Tyranny, Boswell was Team Rebels.)
BTW, at a guess, he means Karlsbad in Bohemia. Which was the most popular spa there.
So Rosignan probably heard a lot of pro Revolutiuonaries chatter in the Berlin salons.
True! I was wondering how much pro-American sentiment there was in Sardinia, since I don't think Franklin came to Berlin while Rosignan was there. So they must have met somewhere else, prior to Rosignan coming to Berlin. Maybe England?. But maybe Rosignan made a detour to France during his Prussian stay.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: A duel for science...or insanity??
Date: 2025-06-01 02:01 pm (UTC)Interestingly, I just found a series of letters from Rosignan complaining about his health, starting in October 1777, so that may have been a factor in his recall as well:
Since we parted I have been very unfortunate. I have neither taken the water nor the baths at ---- in Bohemia. I had to throw myself on a bed, being taken with a phlegmonous erysipelas; on account of which I had to undergo an operation which has detained me until now. As I came to this place only in the beginning of the month, I hoped it would be all over when I arrived, but my legs are still in a bad way, and I do not go out.
He's apparently very pro-United States, writing to a Yankee tax dodger envoy to Europe, and sending his compliments to Franklin, whom he has met and remembers fondly. This is interesting, because in one of the letters from Poyntz that I browsed, British Poyntz was outraged by an attempted mutiny in the army of Sardinia making seditious noises about liberty! (I may be misremembering the details, but I remember thinking, oh, hey, it's 1778.)
Also, Rosignan seems to be into science as well; he's talking about the supposed invention of the telescope, and his own, semi-successful attempts to create his own electrophon at home. Interesting. I wonder what opinions he held about fixed air. :P
Re: A duel for science...or insanity??
Date: 2025-06-01 02:08 pm (UTC)(Even in the UK, feelings were mixed. If Dr. Johnson was Team Taxation No Tyranny, Boswell was Team Rebels.)
BTW, at a guess, he means Karlsbad in Bohemia. Which was the most popular spa there.
Re: A duel for science...or insanity??
Date: 2025-06-01 06:14 pm (UTC)So Rosignan probably heard a lot of pro Revolutiuonaries chatter in the Berlin salons.
True! I was wondering how much pro-American sentiment there was in Sardinia, since I don't think Franklin came to Berlin while Rosignan was there. So they must have met somewhere else, prior to Rosignan coming to Berlin. Maybe England?. But maybe Rosignan made a detour to France during his Prussian stay.