Tea at Trianon: The Tuileries Gardens

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

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Tuileries Gardens

So lovely, even in the winter. Here are some pictures. Share

5 comments:

May said...: Hmm..I don't agree with everything on that blog, but it has many beautiful photos.; January 5, 2011 at 1:09:00 PM EST
lara77 said...: Matterhorn, I agree with your comments about the blog. The author of the blog is obviously pro revolution and seems to take the attitude of many that the destruction of the Tuileries Palace brought the French their "wonderful" republic. He has an earlier blog on the "decadence" of the monarchy and why after seeing Versailles you realize how "necessary" the revolution was.The photos are quite lovely but I will refrain from commenting on the author's comments. All I will say is if you can't say something nice say nothing at all.; January 6, 2011 at 9:07:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Sorry, everybody! I just thought the pictures were nice.....; January 6, 2011 at 9:17:00 AM EST
lara77 said...: I apologize too Elena Maria; the photos are very lovely and thank you!! I just rambled on about the author's political leanings and it is his right to publish what he believes.; January 6, 2011 at 9:34:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: It's fine and I hope that most of my readers, like you and Matterhorn, are sophisticated enough to read between the lines.; January 6, 2011 at 9:37:00 AM EST