Tea at Trianon: "Dramatic and Fiery"

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

Saturday, June 18, 2022

"Dramatic and Fiery"

Here is a lovely, thorough review recommending My Queen, My Love to older teens. I think young adults would enjoy it as well. From Catholic Children's Stories:

Strengths in this book include excellent character development throughout and the pure enjoyment of reading about grand balls with glittering tiaras and silken gowns of every colour swishing about. Details of life such as the lacing up of gowns, how ladies pass the time of day, have their hair styled, what they eat and what rooms they move into at various times of the day are an absolute pleasure to read.
This story will appeal to those who love historical romance novels, especially anyone who is interested in this particular period of time. Vidal includes a long list of references at the conclusion of the story for anyone who wants to research this historical period further. There is also an extensive list of characters at the front of the book.

So I recommend this book for older and more mature teens and young adults. It is a beautiful example of one young woman’s Catholic faith enduring through challenging times – and also a lesson in how patience and love can soften even the hardest (Royal) hearts to appreciate the truth and beauty of our Catholic faith. (Read more.)