Tea at Trianon: Laura Speaks History

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 3, 2023

Laura Speaks History

From The History Desk:

The study of history in this present era, has become the study of nothing. We learn about individuals, that are high and mighty, but we forget to ask, “What about the people?” Asking about the people opens up a huge can of worms. Because it is complex. The modern educational system prefers to dumb people down. In spite of this dumbing down costing us, they do it anyway. Why?

Ego.

The past can answer many of the questions if you look at it from a different angle. And keep your nose out of high school and college textbooks. There are other books out there that answer that question, about the people. The first is a five volume set, titled, “A History of Private Life.” Another series, “Civilization and Capitalism, 15th -18th Century,” which is three volumes, is also an excellent review of how our modern, commercial world, developed, and who did the developing. In these books you examine context, not decisions by the usual suspect leaders. By studying the context, you come to an understanding of why the leaders made the decisions that they did.

You will also come to an understanding of the ancestors. This is not about ancestor worship, but being grateful to them for getting us to this point, wherein I can sit at a desk without fear of invasions, the plague, or having enough resources to keep myself fed. Well, I confess. I do live in farm country. That is on purpose too. Because it is the farmers that are key players in our modern world. Not just in feeding us, but in giving us the raw materials for clothing, bed sheets, towels, and the upholstery on your couch.

Industry began on the farms. And remained on the farms until the Industrial Revolution. Farmers’ wives no longer weave flax and cotton. But farmers still grow the plants that give us linen and cotton. People in cities are so cut off from these facts of life, they forget that the food in their grocery stores began in places like the San Joaquin Valley. They probably don’t know where the San Joaquin Valley is. Google it.

In the mean time, here in my new digs, with, count ‘em, two studios, I am having a ball. I have a room dedicated as a recording studio, (see the pic) and one as a design studio. The design studio is not ready to be photographed. But soon. Stay tuned, history/mythology lovers. I will speak the history, as well as write it. And the classes are coming along as well. My goal there is to provide fun and interesting material for home schoolers. (Read more.)