Tea at Trianon: Art Tea at The Merrion Hotel

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, March 15, 2023

Art Tea at The Merrion Hotel

From Victoria:

Set in the heart of Dublin, The Merrion boasts luxury lodging, fine dining, and historic atmosphere. Said to have been the birthplace of the first Duke of Wellington in 1769, the hotel is also known for a uniquely lavish teatime experience known as Art Afternoon Tea. Here, in the gracious surroundings of the drawing rooms, guests are treated to a slice of miniature artwork inspired by the nineteenth- and twentieth-century pieces displayed throughout the property, or by figures from the hotel’s past. Art Afternoon Tea is a two-hour experience consisting of two courses, accompanied by teas and coffees selected by The Merrion’s in-house tea masters and barista. While dining, individuals are invited to browse a catalogue of the artwork that is displayed throughout the hotel. And after tea, guests may peruse the paintings in person or during a private or self-guided tour. (Read more.)