Tea at Trianon: Flora MacDonald

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, January 17, 2008

Flora MacDonald

Richard has a post about the Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald, who rescued Bonnie Prince Charlie. Share

9 comments:

Brantigny said...: Thanks for the redirect...

Richard; January 17, 2008 at 10:25:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Thanks for the great post!; January 17, 2008 at 10:47:00 AM EST
Anonymous said...: It's easy to see why novels were written about her. (Jean Plaidy comes to my mind)
Also I've seen that picture of the pair on cookie tins around the holidays.; January 17, 2008 at 11:31:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Yes, I love those short bread tins.; January 17, 2008 at 11:50:00 AM EST
Anonymous said...: I have visited the Isle of Skye where Charles was being hidden by Flora Macdonald and the island people. There is now a bridge one can drive over to get there, but one still recalls the beautifully mournful Scottish tune about the boat which was silently sailing him to safety from sure death by the British soldiers.; January 17, 2008 at 11:58:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Wow. I need to go there before I write the novel about him.; January 17, 2008 at 12:18:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: “The Skye boat Song” is the famous Scottish tune that recalls the escape of ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ from the Isle of Skye.; January 18, 2008 at 12:52:00 PM EST
elena maria vidal said...: I love it.; January 18, 2008 at 12:52:00 PM EST
Unknown said...: I own a print of this painting, which had been in my possession for 20-odd years. I fell in love with it at auction, so had to purchase it. I still have it, and love it, but I'm at a point of my life to time to divest. I want to find as much info about it, such as WHEN it was painted and some details of the artist - G.Joy. I am still undecided whether I should sell the print,though.I would appreciate if someone can direct me in the proper way. Thanks so much!; July 20, 2018 at 11:32:00 PM EDT