Tea at Trianon: The Art of Gratitude

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

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

The Art of Gratitude

From Southern Lady:

Words can ring hollow if our actions don’t back them up. Don’t just say “thank you”—show it. Here are some simple ways Kelly advises to cultivate a life of gratitude:
• Keep a regular journal of the things for which you are truly grateful.
• Send a letter of thanks to someone who has made a difference in your life.
• Volunteer your time, make a contribution to your favorite charity, recycle,  or donate your old clothes to a homeless shelter.
• Strive to be more compassionate and thoughtful when you speak.
• Smile. Be an example of good manners, and let people imitate you.  A sincere smile is contagious.
Elegant thank-you notes follow traditional protocol including these guidelines:
• Always handwrite your note neatly in blue or black ink.
• Get expressive with the language to convey the emotion felt  when you received the gift.
• Personalize your note instead of writing something generic.
• Tell the person how you plan to use the present; make the  giver feel special by complimenting his or her taste.
• Mail your notes to make the recipient feel official.
• Write your thank-you note as soon as possible (within two weeks for a gift and three months for a wedding gift). But don’t fret if your note goes out later. Just acknowledge your lateness along with your gratitude. Where gratitude is concerned, “better late than never” is certainly true. (Read more.)