These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

A wonderful way to start the New Year!

A perennial favourite, These Old Shades, by Georgette Heyer

is a wonderful romance story which would appeal to people

who enjoy reading of the elegance and beauty of earlier times.

This story is set during the time of Louis XV in France.

Descriptions of the Court of Versailles, the nobility of France and England

at Versailles and in Paris and also in England are related in a unique way with

special insights which give the story its charm.

A way of life which seems all but lost now is quite fascinating in

its detail to read.

Elegance, wit, sophistication and drama are all elements of this story.

The story centres around Leon, a page of his Grace, the Duke of Avon,

and of the Duke's friends and family.. also of the Duke's rivalry with an

old enemy the Count of Saint-Vire.

Little is known of Leon until later in the story.

There is a game to be played of which many of the characters are ignorant.

However, the Duke of Avon has a winning hand in this game which involves

old passions, the way of the world in eighteenth century France and high society.

I loved this story.

Adventure and romance engage the reader and enliven the story.

The characters are believable, the settings authentic, even an old stage coach inn

in France where many of the characters of the story meet before embarking

on a journey to Paris.

The spirited page, Leon, whose

loyalty and love for the Duke of Avon give a magical touch

and add another dimension to the story which is quite beautiful.

The true identity of Leon, the page, who later becomes a ward of the Duke of Avon

is also finally revealed.

A magical story!

More on favourite characters of the French Court

While looking at blogs in my spare time I have noted

that there is a blog of “I wish I were living in France”

and “I wish I was living at Versailles.” I have not clicked

on to this later blog yet as I am often pressed for time on

the internet.

However, this question, I have often asked myself: “Would I

be happy to live at Versailles?” I believe that the answer to this

all empowering question is “No.” Life could not be the same

living there without the enduring presence of the king. Perhaps

if Louis XIV was to be there life would be different. The reign of

the Sun King is believed to have been the best of times. I love

wandering through the magnificent chateau and viewing the places

where Louis XIV lived with his court. The atmosphere of warmth

can be felt in the king's bedroom and it must have been a beautiful

place at one time in which to live. The galleries and paintings,

furnishings, art works and chapel can easily take a day's viewing

leaving little time to view the beautiful gardens.

Versailles and the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna can also be remembered

as happy places for the last queen, Marie Antoinette.

It is interesting that recently a new hotel is being established to

overlook the Orangerie. It is difficult to contemplate thelP reaction

of Louis XIV to this concept as the mass tourist market would

not have existed during his time. However, people always did travel,

but most likely in those times, they may have been diplomats,

pilgrims or members

of the aristocracy and later in the century perhaps people involved in trade.

Of my favourite characters of the seventeenth century court of France, Louis XIV

comes first, closely followed by the beautiful and elegant Louise

de la Valliere, a popular favourite of the court.

The wife of the Duc de Saint-Simon was also noted as being very nice,

friendly and popular and was often invited by the king to attend Trianon or

Marly with a few select friends.

The Palatinate Princess, Liselotte, as mentioned in a previous post, called a spade

a spade, but at the same time there was a special quality about Liselotte, which

brought people to her and she was admired and was popular at court.

She was the second Duchess of Orleans, after the misfortune of the first Duchess

d'Orleans, Princess Henriette

of England, dying at a young age. She seemed to be more in control in her marriage

to the King's brother. This had not been the case with Princess Henriette's marriage

to the Duc d'Orleans. This may have been as Liselotte was older by this time. Her son

became the Regent following the demise of the king, Louis XIV in 1715. This would

have been a source of pride for Liselotte.

Princess Henriette was beautiful, waif-like, sister of Charles II of England. She had

been sent with her servant to the court of France at a young age. Her mother, Queen

Maria of England may have wished for a marriage for Princess Henriette with

Louis XIV. As Henriette was young at the time she arrived at the court, Louis XIV never noticed her until

after she was married to his brother, Philippe d'Orleans. Princess Henriette would have danced

in many of the ballets in the earlier years at the court.

At the time of her marriage

Princess Henriette was sister to a king of England without a throne and who was living

his life in dire poverty travelling in Europe. Princess Henriette may not have been seen

as a suitable candidate for the prospective bride of Louis XIV. For reasons beyond the control of Louis XIV

at the time, as he was still young and Cardinal Mazarin and his mother, Anne of Austria, were in control, Charles II found that his time at the French Court was limited and he had to move on.

He eventually made his way to

The Netherlands and fathered a child with Lucy Walters, the Duke of Monmouth. In the book “Mad Madge: The extrordinary life of Margaret, Duchess of Newcastle: The First Woman to live by her Pen” ( a story of the second Duchess

of Newcastle) by Katie Whitaker, it is

mentioned that the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle requested a loan from Charles II while in exile. They had

followed the king into exile along with many of his royalist supporters. However the king

said that they were probably better off than he was but that he hoped that one day he might be

able to help them. Even though Charles II did not have children to succeed him on the throne

of England, from his mistress Louise de la Kerouaille, (who had been in the retinue of Princess Henriette of England) Princess Diana is a descendant from the son with Louise de la Keroualle, the Duke of Richmond.

A favourable account has been given of the Duke de Gramont who was a friend of Louis XIV.

This account is given in the book “Louis XIV” by historian, Vincent Cronin. He was very upset and retired to his room in tears when it was believed that the king would not survive his last illness.

Louis XIV also made friends with creative and talented people and his court would have been very lively at times with the flourishing arts, music and literature.

The Grande Mademoiselle, Duchess of Montpensier, was also likeable and popular at the court. Unfortunately,

she may have been vulnerable at times, falling in love with the
Duc de Lauzun, whom she subsequently married after many disappointments and let -downs

by people she believed she could trust. The Duc de Lauzun, who had spent many years in

prison until the Duchess de Montpensier eventually bought him his freedom.

More favourite characters of the court to follow at a later stage.

My best wishes

A Moon Princess (or a goddess) and a Sun King

"View of Grand Canal" by Nicholas Perelle,

engraving of 1680,

from wikipedia:

The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles at each end of the mirrored hallway

did have a salle (a room “Salon”) for peace and a salle (a room “Salon”) for wars

almost similarly as

Louis XIV's reign was of peace and war. At one time there was an

extended peace of nearly twenty years which considering the state of nations at the time

and the occurrence of wars this was no mean feat.

The Peace

of Versailles was signed at the end of World War I on 11 November

1918, Armistice Day. An auspicious occasion and also a memorable

one.

Also, that today as I write this post it is 71 years since the Battle of

Britain in which the free world was saved.

In the Book of Micah is mention that one day nations would not go to

war and instead would turn their swords to plough shares and their

spears to pruning hooks and would sit under their fig trees and vines.

Perhaps a symbol of a peaceful time.

Poem

A Moon Princess (or a goddess) and a Sun King

We danced and skipped

across the roof tops of time

You and I

across the sky;

Of purple dawns and hazy dew

These were things I always knew:-

I once did rise in an afternoon sky

so clear and blue,

And you were there, gleaming true,

Dispirited to see you leave so soon

But this was long past the noon-

In open skies

and morning dew

I saw these marvellous things of you-

Apollo's chariot riding high

and all the Moons could give a sigh:-

I glimpsed you once at old Versailles

There you were in your grand style

Where sun-swept shadows crossed the mile;

For was it not at the courts of dukes and kings

and miraculous things

that the emblem of the Sun rode high?

And who would emulate a-while

as a Pharaoh of the Nile

Challenge the Sun King's style?

Surely, no-one in his guile!

Moonlight glided gracefully

over the land,

through distant valleys and mountain tops

watched over vineyards, countryside, cities

and lakes;

Glimpsed dolphins frolick in the deep

Lit by moonlight,

the fields of sheep:

and found its way to the King's Domain:

The moonlight was a beckoning show

It found its way in an all-time glow;

Swaying tree-tops in the breeze

Gilded splendour gleamed the leaves

Where shadows dancing inter-weave;

A splendid scene

A coloured beam

Reflecting to the fountain stream;

And all the colours would unite

A glorious play into the night:

I thought those days would never end

And the Sun gleamed golden:-

it seemed a trend.

From a platform out on top

Could see the fruit and ready crop:

Seeming almost as a play

where the workers toiled away:

La Quintinie,­

With a wonderful “Bon Chretien” pear:

And for the needy

he would care;

With glass walls and a bell jar

He captured sun-light from afar;

Visitors viewed the “potager” display

Would eat the fruit along the way;

And weren't these your happiest days

When you set your trails a-blaze?

La Valliere, sincerity,

La Montespan, vivacity

did impress;

though I must confess

would cause distress

that you married your governess:

when had been

your royal queen

a previous princess;

With enchantments and

a School of St Cyr

Madame de Montespan had much to fear!

You were never the same

Not quite so tame

La Mancini could not take your name

A cause for suffering-

perhaps also of wandering;

“Louis, Louis”

You knew the score

Could hold forth at the Temple Door

Knew the stories of old folk-lore

Louis the Tenth and Four:

You knew of realms long before

And Atlantis on the ocean floor:

The power of words which were never said,

Of the people long since dead,

Of Akhenaten and the sphinx-like dread;

Mysteries and wisdom inscribed

of temple walls and mirrored halls

These were things which you ascribed;

And where to

Marly,

from before:

Design so fine

Palace divine

A flowing picture-

pavilions, terrace-

Palissades and shades

of beech and elm

evoked tranquillity, peace and calm

imagining a fairy glade

of crystal rock pools made of jade;

Allees and bosquets cleverly made

To designs geometrically laid;

Your garden was equal to none

You, Louis, were the One

With your symbol of the Sun.

You lived your life as a glittering flame-

And danced on the steps of audacity and fame;

Oh, and how moonlight becomes you,

suited your plane;

the softening glow of an amber show

And the moon would wane:

Silent patterns at your window pane

As though seeking answers as they came;

Of heady scents,

Perfumed flowers

in the magic Versailles hours

This truly was your game:

Ah, to sit with you a-day

And all the things which we could say:

And revolution's flame-

Who was to blame?

Wasn't that a mighty shame?

You who brought down city walls

Made Versailles free for all:

I look and I look;

And what do I see?

A Thousand Years of Monarchy:

And Romans, Visigoths and Teutonic Knights-

You always had put up your fights;

You who would prune your Chestnuts by hand

Sit under fig trees of the land;

Share your bounty of the earth

Great imaginings of worth!

Beauty and sprituality

flow together indelibly

And you gave Le Notre a wide berth:

With topiary and broderie

A spark of ingenuity

As shimmerings of emboidery

In the Versailles nursery:

Diamond patterns all on show

As in a glass-house after-glow;

Gleaming lanterns with lights down low;

Three Notes:

1.

La Valliere,

became a Duchess but

left Versailles and entered

a convent.

2.

La Montespan

was dismissed from her apartment

at Versailles by her son.

3.

There was an expectation that Louis XIV would marry a princess in seventeenth century France.

Marie Mancini was the Cardinal's niece.

Rare moments of beauty- glimpses in time

Rare Moments of Beauty-

A glimpse in Time:

One evening I was walking from the library

to the shopping centre and between apartment

buildings there are lovely palm trees in pots

and water ponds. It was a cold windy night

without too many people about. Even so, I was

quite entranced by the little plays of water displays

from the little fountains with illuminated lights

glowing from the water. Just beautiful! As not

many people were around I thought that these

majestic little displays must be for the people

living in the apartment buildings.

Another time one evening not long before Christmas

I was walking through Aotea Square in Auckland.

This was also a cold wind-swept night with not too many

people there. I was surprised as there was a group

singing on a stage and the few people watching were

wrapped up against the cold. The music was so

wonderful and haunting, it remains with me even

today. A beautiful song which the group was singing

and the sound seemed to follow, one line from the song

of which

I remember: “from the cradle to the grave.”

Rare moments of beauty:

I have been looking at some of the wonderful images

from le bal de Versailles where people dress in costume.

After looking at some of these pictures I can readily

imagine how beautiful and magnificent it must have

been when the king, Louis XIV, would walk around the gardens

of Versailles with his courtiers.

I can visualise the magnificent colours of the ladies' dresses

in the picturesque and wonderful settings. Even in the

stifling hot of the summer weather (when sometimes the restricted

clothing may have become uncomfortable) these occasions must have been

rare and wonderful glimpses of beauty in time. The beautiful

fountain displays may have had a cooling effect with the spray

from the water jets. A softly blowing breeze from the direction of the trees

may also have

tempered the scene. On one occasion

the scent from the flowers was so heady that the king and his courtiers

had to leaved. This was in the vicinity of the Trianon.

I remember vividly a scene of Marie Antoinette in the gardens at Versailles

near her hameau from the film “Marie Antoinette.” At this time Marie

Antoinette had chosen white cotton clothing which may have been more

comfortable for her in the hot weather. She also had a portrait painted

dressed in this fashion which was unfortunately

not approved of as the clothing was not in keeping

with the expectations of how the queen of France

was supposed to be. However, even in this film,

the moments of beauty and truth did shine through.

This piece of music seems to me to reflect the quality

and beauty of time and its passing nature: Mary's Song

played by Nick Cave which I came across yesterday

on face book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAIXJ-quKWE

Elizabeth I must also have looked magnificent at times:

her rainbow portrait is a favourite and she lived up to to

her image of "the faerie queen" as depicted in the poetry

of Edmund Spenser.

The Dream of Versailles

The dream of Versailles

September/October is a wonderful time to visit

France.

It is during these months that there are exhibitions

and concerts at Versailles..

It certainly would be a unique opportunity to attend one of the many musical concerts which are

given in the gardens where the fountains play delightfully, splashing water. The fountains often played when the king, Louis XIV, promenaded around the gardens,

which would have been a source of joy and pride for the king.

He wrote a guide book about the best way of viewing his gardens: “Maniere de montrer les jardins de Versailles” which was often

updated. The fourth version was written by the king. Sometimes he corrected some of the versions.

Channelling the water for the fountains was innovative with great engineering designs and ideas which did take time even using horse power at one time whManiereich proved cumbersome but eventually with the talents and designs of the Francini brothers, the fountains were playing giving a magnificent view from the king's bedroom windows.

The concerts seem to be popular and are

shown on you tube: there are several performances of les grandes eaux performances at versailles and also the fountains playing by daylight on the official Versailles site. This you tube video is

from a concert given at night accompanied by the music of Lully: perhaps more fireworks than

fountain displays on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhetAHfjTKU

Best wishes

.

The Reign of the Sun King

I thought it was time for a few more posts about Louis XIV and Versailles:

The Reign of the Sun King:

The sun set its golden shadows over distant hills

and the reign of the Sun King ceased to be;-

A reign spectacular for its magnificence and splendour:-

All this time the Sun King seemed to live his life upon a stage:-

a court revolving round a golden age;

the Grand Siecle;

Philippe d'Orleans,

son of Monsieur and the second Madame, Liselotte, a princess of the Palatinate,

governed as the Regent from 1715.

He is reputed to have introduced champagne to the royal court.

Louis XIV,

a king so young who came to the throne,

who made the court of Versailles his home;

So much drama in his young life,

The Fronde,

Fleeing palaces in stealth by night

Seeking safety in his flight;

An arranged wedding-

Infanta Marie Therese,

his wife:

Glinting in that golden sun

bedecked upon a glittering horse

And all of Paris seemed to shine

On that spring day of June summer time;

A new beginning from the old

And all the crowds cheered so bold:

“Louis, Louis”

A magnificent king,

the crowds seemed to sing

And were wont to say

Looking at the king that day;

So caring, kind, colourful and good,

A king, sometimes not always understood.

He strove for excellence and all good things

In dance, music, art and décor;

A king and court from before

Gives grace and understanding

Now, for history and the arts-

A model-

which echoes still in time.

Thinking of a glorious past

herein are treasures which do last.

Conceived on a night of a storm;-

the day Louis XIV was born

the fountains of Paris

flowed free with wine

People looking forward to a better time

Three days to spread the good news

to the south

With all good wishes for his health;

At St Jean de Luz

A wedding so fine;

Celebrations

and decorations-

Ostentations

the reasons why

occasioned by

the birth of a son,-

Louis's only royal one:

Quadrilles of horses trotted in time

Spectators formed in illustrious line

in the magnificent June springtime;

Tuileries and Louvre arena surrounds

and the stories do abound;

A roundabout of a Carousel

as later on the Bourbons fell

Imagining a lost Dingle Dell

Looking for dreams

in a Wishing Well:

For, as in an old-time nursery rhyme

the king, as Emperor

was dressed to shine,-

Looking back,

perhaps a sign
In a glimpse of time;

Pageantry-

wonderful to see

A spectacle-

remembered still:

And as the people went back to work

Recalling a Prince dressed as a Turk

rebel prince in his surrender

Holding aloft the Moon in Splendour
Gracing his presence
 displaying its crescent
in the shadow of the sun
Louis XIV's Apollo had won-

The Sultan- Prince of Conde;

And as the people went upon their way

prone merrily to say:

“What a wonderful display!”

Remembered for ever a day:

For later on,

a consul,- general

Napoleon

Did throw his hat into the ring

The status of Emperor did bring

With Josephine as his queen-

could this ever be foreseen?

Napoleon's army,
Had this ever been rehearsed
A dance across the universe?
Not until Waterloo reversed;

And I cannot forget

As a montage of images

from a film set

The Sun, The Moon

and the distant Stars

Reflecting a Universe

Saturn to Mars-

Did shine upon this princely court

Imagery which astronomy taught;

Themes which had always been

now could often be seen-

At Marly, a beautiful place

Versailles- The Sun's ace

Sun shadows and arrows

Sun-flowers bright yellow

Hornbeam which seemed

In nature so green

and mythical garden scenes:

“Le Roi Soleil” danced to music on a make-believe stage

Lived his life on a gilded stage

Created his world a golden age;

And now his life is reflected in song

A make-believe stage of a real age

This seventeenth century stage;

People turn the pages of time

Splendours and wonders achieved so fine

Passion in art and beauty sublime:

Brought up on stories of Alexander the Great,

Looked back to a time past

Of the Greeks and Romans

As though seeking truths and answers from stories

of long ago.

It is believed that Louis XIV did not allow himself to

be influenced in his decision making by women as regards

the governing of the country. However, the gardens may have

been a different matter at various times, depending upon who

was in favour and who the king was in love with. The gardens of Versailles

were designed with Louise de la Valliere as an inspiration for the king.

His priests may have influenced him in later years regarding the revocation

of the Treaty of Nantes, which reversed the freedom of religion which had

been put in place by Louis XIV's grandfather, Henri IV, which granted freedom

to the Huguenots. As a consequence many talented artisans did leave the country

which may have affected the economy.

Louis XIV's reign was a triumph in many respects with industry, arts and culture,

the tapestries of the Gobelins, the gardens and fountains of Versailles,

fashion, etiquette, manners (Louis XIV always dressed well, which befitted his royal role and acted with dignity and decorum)

engineering, science and technology.

He may have become a little subdued in later years and a little more religious

minded as he became older. He attended chapel services every day.

It was sad when his reign was nearing its end.

He was aware of speculation in the foreign press.

He did a great deal for the country and ruled at a time when it was not an unusual

occurrence for countries to be at war with one another.

A life of wonder,

full of joy,

He created beauty at Versailles.

The early years of the reign of the Sun King are recalled as the happiest times with the fetes

and celebrations, the gardens his joy.

In later years, with sorrow and sadness, the court of Versailles was not the happy place of

earlier times.

When Princess Marie-Adelaide of Savoy came on the scene the court of Versailles reflected some of its earlier gaiety and merriment of previous times with the many balls whch were given in honour of the new princess, who would eventually marry the king's grandson, the Duke of Bourgogne.

I wonder whether the king reflected upon the golden age of Elizabeth I of England.

He did enquire once of the plays of Shakespeare, however, Princess Henriette was not informed or did not seem to be aware of the great

playwright at the time. This was after one of her visits to England.

Louis XIV wrote his own madrigal or motet once though through of lack of encouragement from

a friend, he threw it away. This is described in Louis XIV by Vincent Cronin, a recommended

book, which details the achievements of his reign with a view to the arts, beauty and architecture.

There is a reference in the introduction of “The Sun King's Garden” by Ian Thompson that the gardener, Le Notre,

has been likened to Shakespeare. Very little known about him but his works well known. The gardens of seventeenth century Versailles were a show piece of the Sun King's domain and

remain a beautiful show piece even still today. The Sun King and his gardener, Le Notre, became friends and shared a wonderful vision for the gardens of Versailles which became a reality with the beautiful gardens and fountains which were created.

Angelique and the Ghosts

Angelique and the Ghosts

I love reading the Angelique series of books because they seem so real.

The wonderful settings and beauty of prose give these novels

a dimension which is magical. Once again, following on from

the adventures and misadventures of Angelique and Joffrey de Peyrac,

I loved reading

Angelique and the Ghosts by Sergeanne Golon, which also gave an understanding

of the goals which Joffrey de Peyrac was setting for himself.

Joffrey has given assistance

and passage on his boat to people who are agents of the government of France, also

the governor of one of the provinces, Ville d'Avray, who again makes an appearance with his

quite welcoming and also

sometimes (for Angelique) over the top personality. However, he proves as always to

be a good companion. Joffrey also assists traders with their goods.

Joffrey hopes to meet with officials in Quebec, and hopefully one day

would wish to return to France. He has explained this to Angelique. He does not

always wish to be an exile from his country of birth. Angelique was also made

to understand this. Even though they had a new life in Canada, it was important

that one day they would be able to return to France and their children would also

be able to return. It was a dream on the horizon.

From the beginning of this novel, acting on intuition, Angelique rescues Joffrey

from a trap which endangered his life. Joffrey had given Angelique a set of

very finely crafted pistols at the end of the last novel, “Angelique and the Demon,”

which came into good use so early in this new adventure of “Angelique and the

Ghosts.”

Angelique and Joffrey de Peyrac travel the St Lawrence river en route to Quebec,

stopping at various small towns and communities on the way. Angelique befriends

 Marguerite de Bourgeoys, a nun who was renowned for the work she did for

setting up schools in early Canada.

Angelique had a talent for helping people with

cures for their ailments.

For early colonial history of the New World,

these books of Angelique are well worth reading and would serve as excellent study

guides in an educational forum for early history of the time and also literature.

Angelique reminiscences about her early days in Paris, the Court of Miracles (which

was the Paris underworld and best forgotten as Angelique moved on from these

troubled times) and her acceptance at the glittering court of Louis XIV at Versailles

as Madame la Marquise, Madame du Plessis-Belliere,

after her marriage to a distant cousin, the Marquis, Philippe du Plessis-Belliere.

How far Angelique had journeyed in life since these

early days!

She has not forgotten her poet, who had such a great fondness for Angelique. She had

met him early one morning on a river barge on the River Seine, when she did not have a home.

Unfortunately, perhaps as being a poet it may have been inherent in his nature to write of

truth, which in seventeenth century France may have been upsetting certain persons in

authority and her poet paid the ultimate price for his truthfulness and bringing misdemeanours

and crimes to attention in the gutter press.

This is a fictional novel, though the story is quite

believable which is set in “Angelique- The Road to Versailles” which was one of the earlier books of Angelique's

adventures and a magnificent novel to read.

One of my all time favourites is “Angelique and the

King” as there are so many wonderful depictions of the court of Louis XIV at Versailles and

references to many of the people at the court at the time, including Louise de la Valliere, Madame de Montespan (who Angelique has an altercation with) and Madame de Maintenon who acts as a

peace-maker between the two women.

(There is a reference to an altercation between Madame de Montespan and Madame des Fontanges in one book I was looking at on google books of the history of the court of Louis XIV.

Perhaps Madame de Maintenon may have been a peace -maker in such a situation.)

The scenes

of court life, decorations, dress and etiquette described in the book seemed to ring with authenticity.

In “Angelique and the Ghosts” Angelique also recalls her good friend, the police inspector,

Desgrez, who has come to her assistance in the past. Perhaps it is difficult for Angelique

not to think of the many good people from her past as she travels on her new path in life with her

husband.

Angelique and her husband also save good friends from a depraved captain as they had been taken

prisoners on the river. Angelique also looks out for her good friend and his bear, who decides to hibernate

for the winter at an inconvenient time.

All in all, a marvellous read. Full credit to Anne and Serge Golon for another magnificent story.

The next three books in the series have not been translated into English at this time.

I look forward to reading “Angelique in Quebec” when an English translation becomes available.