My word Flashman, you closet Francophile. What a moving poem, which has opened a chink in your armour. Sunday will be in tears.

Tres bien

Jim

JimBert

Un petit je ne sais quoi by Al Stewart, whom you would recognise from "Year of the Cat", "Time Passages" etc.

He is a brilliant and evocative poet who I think established himself in the ' 70s. His theme is the passage of time and how it affects History by its impingement on human behaviour.

Go to Google, there is a very good site with his lyrics on it. I would also recommend him for educating young adults. Every bit as good as Browning or Kipling.

Cheers

Peter

Sunday, I would like to add, at the time of the French Revoluation; France felt vulnerable and weak and fear an invasion from England and the Austrian Empire.

 

In 1787 Lafayette was a member of the Assembly of Notables, and in the States-General.He was chosen in 26 July 1789 as Commander-inChief of the National Guard to protect the King and Queen. About 7000 starving men and women marched to the Palace in Versailles where King Louis and his Marie Antoinette stayed demanding the king for some bread. To prevent bloodshed, Lafayette moved the King and Queen to the palace in Paris.

 

Lafayette worked to make France a Constitutional Monarchy in the General Assembly. And also presented a draft for a Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. It was compose with the help of Thomas Jefferson and modeled on the American Declaration of Independence.  Lafayette was put in jail, but later freed.

 

Thomas Paine published in England his "Rights of Man." For this he went into exile in France, he received as a hero and was elected to the National Assembly. Paine opposed the idea of be-heading of the King, urging that Louis be banished to America. He was expelled from the National Assembly on the ground that he was a foreigner, although he had become a French citizen by Naturalization. Robespierre had thrown hime into the Luxembourg prison waiting to be guillotine. James Monroe, American Minister to France, had him released to come to America.

 

Robespierre was a big fan of Rousseau and fellow is philsophy and the start the Reign of Terror, and says that he wanted to established Democrocy  by getting rid of the enemies of democrocy. He had this fear of England and Austria invasion.

 

Robert

Sunday, I came across thie Book:

 

Encyclopedia Of The Enlightenment (Revised Edition) by Peter Hanns Reill and Ellen Judy Wilson

 

Its a fun book to read.

 

Robert

Jim, you've pegged me correctly.  I have been known to have tearful moments regarding the French Revolution.  Of course, it depends on whether I'm having a Charlotte Corday or a Madame DeFarge moment that determines for whom the tear is shed.  I am proud to say that I've never had a Lucy Manette moment.  She was an idiot (fictional or not).  Charles Darnay was a weenie.

 

Mrs. Sunday Carton

Robert, thank you for the book recommendation and for the information in post #6. 

 

What do you suppose happened to Robespierre's mind that led him from a firm believer in democracy to the Reign of Terror?  So many good people were led to the guillotine because of his accusations.

 

Are you familiar with the Will and Ariel Durant books?  The Age of Napoleon is excellent.  Being a student of the Middle Ages, I also love The Age of Faith.

 

sunday

 

 

Sunday;

if you hear a step upon
your stair tonight
if you see a shadow in
the candle light
it's only your imagination
leading you astray
see her for a moment
then she'll slip away
the ghost of Charlotte Corday

she wanders down the hallway
in a long black dress
and lingers by the fireplace
like a faint caress
just what it is that brings her here
no man alive can say
see her for a moment
then she melts away
the ghost of charlotte corday

stars in the window like a panoply
covering everything
river of night
stars in the window
see them shining for
anyone else, anyone else

the clock ticks in the dark and now
the night is still
the air is like a murmur
on the window sill
all at once there's someone there
that only you can see
seeking the forgiveness
that will set her free
the wind has taken away
the words she wanted to say
the sky is now turning gray
the dawn and the ghost

of Charlotte Corday

(Aided by Al Stewart) 

You're dangerous, Flashman.

 

sunday

Tom, I don't think Rod Stewart and Al Stewart are related.  Could be wrong, but I don't think so.

 

Al Stewart's songs are considered historical rock.  I had a melt-down when Flashman posted the lyrics to "Ghost of Charlotte Corday" and "The Palace of Versailles".  

 

sunday

Hey Tom,

could this be the start of something big?

Jim

Lady and Philistines

Rod Stewart thank God is no relation. Except for Small Faces late stuff, he is self-pitying rubbish. Like to cast himself as a toy boy, without realising he's now a  sugar daddy. Typical Marxist Labour Party contributor.

Al Stewart, on the other hand, is the gentleman's song-writer. Even Peter B records him. 'Nuff said. Shame he's queer.

Cheers

Peter the Pretentious.

Sunday;

Us British don't have Charlotte Corday moments about the French revolution.Ours are more the Sir John Moore/Nelson/Wellington genre.

Sorry to be Philistine, but we were threatened by them You weren't.

Francophobe Flash.

But you did such a capital job of kicking their asses, Flashman.

 

Please don't mistake me for a Francophile.  While I may have the occasional Charlotte Corday moment, and I do think kindly of General Lafayette, I think of it more as a time travel moment.  Charlotte must have known that killing Marat would cost her her head but she was committed to her cause.  On the other hand, a man in a bathtub is an easy target.

 

The reason I hate Lucy Manette so much has nothing to do with her being an Englishwoman; it has to do with her falling in love with that totally worthless Frenchman, Charles Darnay, who didn't even have the stones to tell her his real name.  Sydney Carton loved her so much that he literally gave his life for her. 

 

It was the time you took to post historical songs that touched me.

 

sunday

Sunday,

You and T-dog have a lot to answer for.

In your words, "On the other hand, a man in a bathtub is an easy target".

May I take the liberty of addressing you to my post no 32, General, "An interesting supposition."

There lies cascades of wealth.

Post-Hippy Peter