Tea at Trianon: Marriage for Millenials

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, February 13, 2014

Marriage for Millenials

From Forbes:

Putting off marriage leaves more time for higher education and for taking high ROI career risks – both long-term income boosters – that might not be possible if you’re worried about saving up for a down payment or budgeting to start a family. Instead of viewing marriage as a stepping stone to greater economic stability, it seems as if Millennials see economic stability as a prerequisite for marriage. And while most Millennials still aspire to take trip down the aisle, they aren’t putting much stock in it as an indicator of having a successful life. A scant 30% claim that a successful marriage is an important achievement for them, well behind priorities such as having a high-earning career or being a good parent. (Read more.)

The North Coast said...: I absolutely believe in attaining economic stability before you marry, possibly because I grew up in a home where the parents were overwhelmed by the financial burden of supporting a family at a very young age, before they could get a decent financial footing. We never quite caught up, and their marriage floundered very early on, ending in desertion by my father. You can't make someone stay who is determined to leave.

And you should be married, HAPPILY married, as well, before you have children. Trust me, if your marriage is shaky, having children will not repair it. Instead, you will run a very high risk of becoming a single mother with an ex-husband who you have to play bill collector with, to get him to pay minimal support. And men who cannot support their families tend to leave them.

Search for a man whose values vibe with yours and with whom you can form a really trusting, solid friendship, which is a better basis for lasting love than a stilted dating relationship where the two of you are always on your "courtship" behavior. You want to see how your prospective mate is when conditions are less than ideal.; February 14, 2014 at 8:34:00 PM EST