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rheinsbergBelow, I present the evidence pertaining to the claim that C and V are more closely related to each other than either is to any other source. It will also be observed from the complete texts that, at a narrative level, they share many structural similarities in terms of what material they chose to include, to the exclusion of all other texts. With one possible exception, I found no linguistic similarities in the French worth reporting. That would be consistent with both of them independently recording an anecdote they heard orally from Friedrich himself, as Catt claims to have done and as Voltaire had the opportunity to do if Friedrich chose to confide in him.
Friedrich is informed of Katte's execution by:
F: -
P: -
W/T: Lepel and Münchow
C/V: An old officer and several/four grenadiers.
M: Löpel and Münchow
The individual delivering the news is crying:
F: -
P/W/T: No.
C/V: Yes, "fondant en larmes."
M: -
Friedrich is physically held at the window:
F: -
P: No, he approaches the window, evidently of his own free will.
W/T: He is "obliged" to place himself at the window, but no mention of physical force.
C/V: Yes, held in place by the grenadiers.
M: No, he approaches and opens it of his own free will.
Friedrich is prevented from:
F: Nothing, but he does blow Katte a kiss.
P/W/T: Throwing himself out the window.
C/V: Thrusting his arm out the window.
M: Nothing.
While there are no obvious linguistic similarities between the texts, with the possible exception of "fondant en larmes" (but this may just be two people independently describing someone sobbing, just as Thiébault describes Katte's family as "fondant en larmes"), there is one interesting similarity in an earlier passage, where Katte and Keith are introduced. Namely, both Catt and Voltaire describe these two men as "aimables":
C: Keith et Katte, aimables tous les deux
V: Deux jeunes gens fort aimables, Kat et Keith
Now, I do not take the description of the officer as "old" as a shared innovation: P/W/T/M all report that it was president Münchow, and he was evidently 59 years old, at least if Wikipedia can be trusted. (There's also his senior position to go by, since that would be less likely to be held by someone very young.) That could be two sources independently reporting the facts. However, Katte and Keith being "aimables" is a matter of interpretation, and, moreover, an interpretation that Friedrich subscribed to. Voltaire had the opportunity to meet Keith when both were members of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin in 1750-1753, but Catt met neither, and Voltaire did not meet Katte. I take this as further evidence that Catt and Voltaire are not independent accounts.
There are also striking similarities, including linguistic similarities, between W and P in their descriptions of Katte when he's introduced, but I'm not analyzing those passages here. I may at another time.
Friedrich is informed of Katte's execution by:
F: -
P: -
W/T: Lepel and Münchow
C/V: An old officer and several/four grenadiers.
M: Löpel and Münchow
The individual delivering the news is crying:
F: -
P/W/T: No.
C/V: Yes, "fondant en larmes."
M: -
Friedrich is physically held at the window:
F: -
P: No, he approaches the window, evidently of his own free will.
W/T: He is "obliged" to place himself at the window, but no mention of physical force.
C/V: Yes, held in place by the grenadiers.
M: No, he approaches and opens it of his own free will.
Friedrich is prevented from:
F: Nothing, but he does blow Katte a kiss.
P/W/T: Throwing himself out the window.
C/V: Thrusting his arm out the window.
M: Nothing.
While there are no obvious linguistic similarities between the texts, with the possible exception of "fondant en larmes" (but this may just be two people independently describing someone sobbing, just as Thiébault describes Katte's family as "fondant en larmes"), there is one interesting similarity in an earlier passage, where Katte and Keith are introduced. Namely, both Catt and Voltaire describe these two men as "aimables":
C: Keith et Katte, aimables tous les deux
V: Deux jeunes gens fort aimables, Kat et Keith
Now, I do not take the description of the officer as "old" as a shared innovation: P/W/T/M all report that it was president Münchow, and he was evidently 59 years old, at least if Wikipedia can be trusted. (There's also his senior position to go by, since that would be less likely to be held by someone very young.) That could be two sources independently reporting the facts. However, Katte and Keith being "aimables" is a matter of interpretation, and, moreover, an interpretation that Friedrich subscribed to. Voltaire had the opportunity to meet Keith when both were members of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin in 1750-1753, but Catt met neither, and Voltaire did not meet Katte. I take this as further evidence that Catt and Voltaire are not independent accounts.
There are also striking similarities, including linguistic similarities, between W and P in their descriptions of Katte when he's introduced, but I'm not analyzing those passages here. I may at another time.
