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Posted

Ahhhh - - The French revolution.

 

Pretty much ended high heels for the French Aristocracy.

Pretty much ended the French Aristocracy.

 

Excuse me, but does anyone remember Marie Antoinette?

Brioche is an indirect reference to her.

Posted

Re: brioche - remember that great quote frequently misattributed to her? Let them eat cake? Brioche was the 'cake'

When the peasants were complaining that had no bread good ole Marie, being completely clueless about their realities, suggested the much more expensive brioche as an alternative - supposedly.

There is no record of her ever saying that, though, unless she was quoting Rousseau. In his autobiography, The Confessions, he tells the story of a 'great princess' (unnamed) who supposedly said such a thing . The Confessions was written when Marie was still a child.

Posted

You're just about right, though I think the first attested use of the quip was before she was born.  Quite possible that she may have facetiously used a phrase as well known in her day as it is now.

Posted

The line has been attributed to several French princesses going back into the 17th century, although without proof. I have even read where Chinese scholars claim it originated in a very old tale or fable from there. Rousseau's mention of it is the first demonstrable use but he leaves the 'great princess' unnamed. He started writing The Confessions in 1765, finished in 1769, although it was not published until 1782.

If Marie ever used the line it would have been in jest. It seems to have been quite out of character for her to have dismissed the troubles of the peasants so cavalierly or ignorantly. She seems to have been sympathetic to their hardships or at least aware of them, even if she was blind to what her hubby was (or rather, was not) doing about it.

She was not credited with uttering this line until the mid 19th century.

Posted

Marie Antoinette. Love that track by Curved Air.

 

Al

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