Tea at Trianon: A Dark Cloud Overhead

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Thursday, July 15, 2010

A Dark Cloud Overhead

Two non-celebratory post-Bastille day posts. In spite of the fact that history is written by the winners, we try to remember Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette as they really were.

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5 comments:

lara77 said...: Whenever I see the tricolor of the French Republic fluttering; especially on July 14th, I think of the ancient flag of France, the white cross of Christianity on the blue background; the blue symbolizing France's devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. The beautiful flag of Quebec is as close today as we can get to France's ancient flag. I saw the Quebec flag recently flying outside a hotel in Boston which I pass everyday on my way to work. The flag took my breath away and I thought of Royal France. God bless all the French Royalists on July 14th.; July 16, 2010 at 4:45:00 PM EDT
Athanasius said...: Have you read Nesta Webster's work on the French Revolution? What is your opinion of it?; July 17, 2010 at 5:17:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Sorry, A., I have only read her books on Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette. She is heavy into conspiracy theories (some of which are true but others questionable) so anything of hers that one reads should be balanced out by likewise reading Simon Schama.; July 17, 2010 at 8:34:00 AM EDT
Athanasius said...: I read her work on the Revolution in college, and that was the first thing that got me to re-think what I was spoon fed in grade school about the French Revolution. I don't remember enough of it now unfortunately, since my attention has been in classical and medieval history and medieval science for the last couple of years. I will however, look at Schama and I am finally going to buy your works on the subject. :D; July 17, 2010 at 2:05:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: I know from her books on Louis and Antoinette that she makes many excellent points on the Revolution and she does not romanticize it. Enjoy the books!; July 17, 2010 at 2:59:00 PM EDT