Tea at Trianon: Lapérouse Exhibition

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

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Lapérouse Exhibition

There is currently an exhibition in Paris about the extraordinary sea voyage of the explorer, Lapérouse. Catherine Delors has more about it on her blog. Share

3 comments:

lara77 said...: Thank You for reminding the readers that His Majesty King Louis XVI was no idiot; in fact he was probably one of the most intellectual monarchs of his era. I remember many years ago a college professor of mine who adored the French revolution called King Louis one of the "most stupid" kings in history. Her comment reinforces the lies and propaganda of the French republic and defenders of the barbarous French revolution.; May 21, 2008 at 8:40:00 AM EDT
Catherine Delors said...: Thank you so much for mentioning my post, Elena!
I will try to go see the exhibition this week-end.; May 21, 2008 at 9:39:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Can't wait to hear your report, Catherine!; May 21, 2008 at 9:50:00 AM EDT