Tea at Trianon: Social Graces Sunday: Posture

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

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Social Graces Sunday: Posture

Posture is the key to confidence and beauty, and has a big influence on one's health as well. According to Miss Janice:

The way you stand and they way you sit can make you seem more confident and attractive. Perfect posture not only keeps you looking youthful, it also helps to alleviate headaches, back pain, and neck pain. Standing up straight increases your height and is the fastest diet trick ever...you will instantly appear to lose 10 pounds!

Do you have good posture? Have someone take your full length photo from the front and the side. Your head and neck should be centered above your torso. Your chin should be parallel to the floor. Your back should be straight. Your shoulders should be pulled back, down, and relaxed with your core muscles pulled in. Tuck your buttocks under and keep your knees relaxed and your feet forward. (Read more.)