Tea at Trianon: Georgetown

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, November 30, 2016

Georgetown

A place I loved to go when I was young. From Southern Lady:

On the banks of the Potomac River, historic Georgetown withstands the test of time, preserving its distinguished past while evolving into a bustling commercial district. Less than 10 miles from our country’s political epicenter, this signature American city invites travelers to venture away from the frenzy of Capitol Hill, and stroll along its tree-lined avenues and cobblestone streets. While rooted in a historic background, Georgetown has transformed into a thriving focal point of contemporary culture.

In 1751, The Maryland Assembly established this port city as the namesake of King George II, and it served as an essential shipping hub during the American Revolution. The newly formed United States of America incorporated Georgetown in 1789, and the metropolis flourished as a center of commerce with the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in 1825, which created a vital trade route to the Ohio River in Pennsylvania.

Today, Georgetown infuses its polished style with a modern edge that appeals to locals and visitors alike. Contemporary art galleries display eye-catching pieces, and antiques shops offer a plethora of vintage décor. The city’s infectious energy hums on M Street, the main avenue running through the heart of town, where row houses-turned-retail boutiques and trendy restaurants buzz with innovation and activity. Lines at hip bakeries snake around street corners, and shop windows showcase the season’s du jour fashions. (Read more.)

julygirl said...: A stylish combination of the colonial and the contemporary. Take a drive, park your car and go on a walking tour of architectural and culinary pleasures.; November 30, 2016 at 3:01:00 PM EST