Tea at Trianon: Ascension

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, May 17, 2007

Ascension

Jesu, nostra redemptio
Amor et desiderium,
Deus Creator omnium
Homo in sine temporum.

There are few words more beautiful. Happy Ascension Day! Share

6 comments:

Anonymous said...: They are lovely indeed, but can you translate, please? :-)

Happy Ascension Day!; May 17, 2007 at 9:38:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Surely, I will post it when I get back from Mass.; May 17, 2007 at 9:49:00 AM EDT
faafafa said...: hello

im 20 years old, writing from Chile.i just wanted to say that, eventhough im certainly not religious or conservative, i enjoy your blogs, specially for the stories about madame royale and the tragic events that surrounded the royal family during the revolution, wich is a subject im obsessed with.

keep on, its very interesting.; May 17, 2007 at 12:26:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Here is the gist of it:

"O Jesus, Author of man’s salvation, the delight of our hearts, the Creator of the world redeemed, and chaste light of those that love Thee.” —Caswall.

Thank you, el autor, and please visit often!; May 17, 2007 at 1:34:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...: Well, that is just exquisite. You're right -- there are few words more beautiful. Thank you. I will bring it to tonight's Mass and pray it right after a silent, small, nearly inadequate but deeply happy Anima Christi.

Carol; May 17, 2007 at 4:32:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Oh, but none of our prayers are adequate, dear Carol. His love will supply all that is needed.; May 17, 2007 at 5:54:00 PM EDT