In 1739, Frederick met the Venetian philosopher Francesco Algarotti, and they were both infatuated. Frederick planned to make him a count. Challenged by Algarotti that northern Europeans lacked passion, Frederick penned for him an erotic poem, (ambiguously meaning "The Pleasure" or "The Orgasm"), which imagined what some have described as Algarotti in the throes of sexual intercourse with another partner, a female named Chloris. Not all Frederick scholars have interpreted the poem in such a way; it has also been suggested as describing a liaison between Frederick and Algarotti. It is known that similar poems were written by Frederick. However, none of these, including "La Jouissance", unequivocally exposes him as being involved in such affairs, though they do highlight Frederick's homoerotic artistic tendencies.