Tea at Trianon: Charles X

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

Monday, June 7, 2010

Charles X

A brief biographical sketch. I must say that Artois (Charles X) is a fascinating character to have in a novel, since he was much more complicated than people think. Share

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: My dear friend,

I am ashamed to confess that my knowledge of the colorful and complex Artois (post-Revolution) is woefully inadequate. I've just ordered a book on the Bourbons which dedicates quite a large section to him, so hopefully I can get up to snuff ;)

I do think the young Artois was quite dashing and humorous. I enjoyed writing his character in my novel.

Tell me, any plans to make him a central character in one of your future novels?

All the best and thanks again for another interesting post.; June 7, 2010 at 1:17:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Yes, I want to write about his romance with Louise de Polastron. Her death led to his conversion.; June 7, 2010 at 4:11:00 PM EDT
Leah Marie Brown said...: Ooo...fantastic. I can't wait to hear more.; June 9, 2010 at 9:50:00 AM EDT