Tea at Trianon: Thoughts on the Catholic Blog Awards

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

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Thoughts on the Catholic Blog Awards

As many of you may know, there was a contest of "Catholic blogs" last week. I have no idea what the criteria was or who the people are who sponsored it. I never formally considered this a "Catholic" blog since I often deal with profane topics from history, novels, movies, and operas. I do approach such things from what is, hopefully, a Catholic point of view. (It is difficult to separate someone's outlook from their religious perspective, if that religion is sincere.)

At any rate, I was deeply touched to be told that some kind individual(s) had nominated me for the categories of "Best New Catholic Blog" and "Smartest Blog." I have not yet ascertained whether "smartest" in this case means "chic" or "intellectual." I do hope it means the former, since I am not a true intellectual; I am just a story-teller who enjoys historical research. Either way, I am truly complimented. I did not win; the people who won are the real intellectuals.

It is gratifying to see that people from all over the world are visiting here everyday, especially all of those readers from China. Welcome! I have made many new acquaintances through this site, as well as solidifying existing friendships. It is enough of a prize for a writer to know that they are being read. However, the nomination banners are down at the bottom of the sidebar. Thank you, I am grateful! Share