tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post2754866060021397129..comments2024-03-26T11:03:45.486+00:00Comments on Let us Talk of Many Things; of Books and Queens and Pirates, of Mystery and Kings...: M is for... Murder at CireyHelen Hollickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-61005497814621494612016-04-17T03:04:38.092+00:002016-04-17T03:04:38.092+00:00Dear Kens, so happy your partner has loved it! Ano...Dear Kens, so happy your partner has loved it! Another blush from Victor.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-5095362014709948102016-04-16T20:42:46.093+00:002016-04-16T20:42:46.093+00:00Chère madame, enchanté que vous avez lu ‘Voltaire ...Chère madame, enchanté que vous avez lu ‘Voltaire in Love’. My author read it when young and devoured it. Later, having read French biographies of both people, she found a mountain of inaccuracies in Mitford's account (eg she maintains Voltaire was a short man, whereas he was tall for his time) but Mitford makes up for all this with the liveliness of her account. And the French have written some very silly stuff too: eg 'Madame Voltaire' -- what an insult to Gabrielle-Emilie le Tonnelier de Breteuil to imply that she was merely the mistress of Voltaire: she was a physicist and mathematician who provided translations of Newton into French that have never been surpassed. With her help, I certainly expect to get my man (she has given great advice on ballistics).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-48839679116298022142016-04-16T20:36:03.556+00:002016-04-16T20:36:03.556+00:00Merci, madame, I comfort myself with the idea that...Merci, madame, I comfort myself with the idea that if enough people read about me, I shall live on. Je souhaite pour vous la même destinée.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-54231079432670817322016-04-16T20:33:33.680+00:002016-04-16T20:33:33.680+00:00Hi Alexandra, terrific that you've read Zinsse...Hi Alexandra, terrific that you've read Zinsser, who certainly took her subject seriously. The Marquis de Breteuil was very impressed with her and the biography. I found her a little prudish when it came to Emilie's affairs pre-Voltaire. Zinsser is of the opinion that she was never the lover of either Maupertuis or the Duc de Richelieu, but the French and others accept absolutely that these were important affairs. Also, one has only to read her correspondance. Zinsser obviously feels it diminishes her to imagine her cuckolding her husband with more than one lover--but the French don't think like that! Her husband was in fact a wonderful supporter of her interests and her work, and approved of Voltaire's staying at Cirey--except when he was being damnably indiscreet :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-12253692864183333092016-04-16T20:26:42.405+00:002016-04-16T20:26:42.405+00:00Thanks, Ginger, from a blushing Victor.Thanks, Ginger, from a blushing Victor.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-20030685721353693062016-04-16T20:25:54.237+00:002016-04-16T20:25:54.237+00:00Hi Lucienne, thank you for your kind comments. Vic...Hi Lucienne, thank you for your kind comments. Victor is certainly bowled over by Mme du C--it's lucky she was on his side rather than trying to pervert the course of justice, or even Victor might have been swayed in the wrong direction for a while.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-41238839585218332412016-04-16T20:21:53.163+00:002016-04-16T20:21:53.163+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-15707555674463577792016-04-16T20:13:25.523+00:002016-04-16T20:13:25.523+00:00Hi Victoria, I was concerned that the body was fou...Hi Victoria, I was concerned that the body was found on the estate where Voltaire was living and in the absence of the owner he had the body carted off to the nearest magistrate without calling local officials in to examine it and the scene first. Add to that the fact that he knew the victim and just might have cause to be sexually jealous of him, and my hackles began to rise. Plus he was abominably rude to me at first, and since he was merely the son of a notary (exactly like me), I saw no reason to let him dominate the forces of the law in his insouciant fashion.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-80845620680279285722016-04-16T20:08:22.801+00:002016-04-16T20:08:22.801+00:00Merci, monsieur. le courage ne me manque pas, mais...Merci, monsieur. le courage ne me manque pas, mais mon argent disparaît constamment!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-2161130751518949092016-04-16T20:03:04.040+00:002016-04-16T20:03:04.040+00:00Thank you, David. Voltaire was certainly not a usu...Thank you, David. Voltaire was certainly not a usual suspect, I agree. The man is an astonishing individual whose energy amazed me and infuriated me all at once. It was only when I was privileged to speak with him and Madame du Châtelet together that I realised the scientific side of his brain (which was not as acute as hers but pretty impressive nonetheless) might aid me in the investigation.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-18428827070598568512016-04-16T19:58:29.732+00:002016-04-16T19:58:29.732+00:00Merci, madame, et bonjour de la belle Champagne. I...Merci, madame, et bonjour de la belle Champagne. I must say, riding about the glorious countryside of the Upper Marne makes up a little for the challenges of policing the roads here, and chasing beggars across the border into the Lorraine. I appreciate your wishes for my promotion--if only my brigadier felt the same!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-47800462879125487342016-04-16T19:55:10.368+00:002016-04-16T19:55:10.368+00:00Hello, Annie, yes it was a fascinating period beca...Hello, Annie, yes it was a fascinating period because many of the supporters of Enlightenment thinkers in 18th century France were aristocrats, who tended to be the ones with the best education--and at the same time they were running the country on very non-egalitarian terms. Whereas thinkers like Voltaire tended to come from the middle class and were a perceived threat to the status quo. Military police of course came from the lower classes, so young Victor has a rather jaundiced view of both!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708212618908891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-76255076415231038892016-04-16T09:45:44.853+00:002016-04-16T09:45:44.853+00:00Thanks for dropping by Kens - do browse back throu...Thanks for dropping by Kens - do browse back through from A for Aurelia (and continue dropping in for the rest of the alphabet!) We've some fantastic characters on here! Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-34833214408902743502016-04-16T09:44:02.266+00:002016-04-16T09:44:02.266+00:00I agree with you there Anna!I agree with you there Anna!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-84054451678413765402016-04-16T09:43:25.460+00:002016-04-16T09:43:25.460+00:00Our TBR piles are getting higher! :-)Our TBR piles are getting higher! :-)Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-85551402186321969612016-04-16T02:15:28.587+00:002016-04-16T02:15:28.587+00:00This quirky approach to interviewing/reviewing ent...This quirky approach to interviewing/reviewing entices one and, in fact is a spur to action. We have the novel on our Kindle and my partner has read and loved it - my turn to get going.kenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12138186973069501430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-13092882618034553022016-04-15T18:17:21.973+00:002016-04-15T18:17:21.973+00:00I commiserate regarding the bullet in your chest, ...I commiserate regarding the bullet in your chest, monsieur. That in itself should compel your author to promote you to brigadier, IMO. Bonne chance, monsieur!Anna Belfragehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09159728310623757488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-75413383142213179382016-04-15T17:51:56.116+00:002016-04-15T17:51:56.116+00:00A cavalier, Marquise Du Châtelet, Voltaire, and ei...A cavalier, Marquise Du Châtelet, Voltaire, and eighteenth-century France — what's not to love? Adding this to my TBR list. I enjoyed reading a biography of the Marquise Du Châtelet, La Dame d'Esprit by Judith Zinsser, quite a few years ago and found it fascinating. <br />And Steven, your French is impressive. I had 3 years of French in high school and can now recall a grand total of about 5 phrases! ; )Alexandra Norlandhttp://alexandranorland.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-11102005545198025592016-04-15T16:06:15.600+00:002016-04-15T16:06:15.600+00:00Thanks for dropping by Kathleen!Thanks for dropping by Kathleen!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-71041856490986739592016-04-15T16:05:41.221+00:002016-04-15T16:05:41.221+00:00Thanks Ginger! Thanks Ginger! Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-52914898072695991732016-04-15T16:04:49.405+00:002016-04-15T16:04:49.405+00:00Totally agree about the ticked boxes Lucienne!Totally agree about the ticked boxes Lucienne!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-11626823079216292632016-04-15T16:04:15.753+00:002016-04-15T16:04:15.753+00:00Wish I knew more French, my limit is Bonjour! :-)Wish I knew more French, my limit is Bonjour! :-)Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-77398644966908687212016-04-15T16:03:36.922+00:002016-04-15T16:03:36.922+00:00Good question about Voltaire...Good question about Voltaire...Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-20484055284253685132016-04-15T16:03:03.738+00:002016-04-15T16:03:03.738+00:00Very impressed with the French ! LOLVery impressed with the French ! LOLHelen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6132364668526714411.post-82263951405191985062016-04-15T16:02:28.598+00:002016-04-15T16:02:28.598+00:00I agree David!I agree David!Helen Hollickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292983846350273039noreply@blogger.com