Tea at Trianon: Christening Gowns

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, June 14, 2007

Christening Gowns

Against all Heresies has a lovely post on christening gowns. Every new little child of God is a prince or princess, and should be dressed accordingly. Share

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: I never realized the idea behind the christening gown, but I certainly agree with it.; June 16, 2007 at 10:13:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Yes, it is a liturgical garment, if you think of it.; June 16, 2007 at 10:49:00 PM EDT
maria said...: Can u please let me know where I can get the Christening gown in the picture?; June 29, 2009 at 12:41:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: This is from some years ago but I believe it is from Paula's Antique Linens.

http://www.paulaginsantiquelinens.com/; June 29, 2009 at 9:07:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...: Trying to do research. I have a christening ground that I am told is connected with Marie Antoinette. If so I'd like to give to a museum interested and that knows the history.; November 13, 2009 at 1:36:00 PM EST