Dear Self, Part Trois - My Favourite Things
So I finally finished going through all of the couple hundred pages of the tumblr, and here is the second part of my epic picture post. These are all various personal artifacts related to Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI, and their family.
Hair that is both Antoinette's and the Princesse de Lamballe's
One of her bodices, and so far as I know the only complete one of hers to survive.
A chemise worn by her during her imprisonment
One of her stockings
A medallion with her hair inside of it
A pair of her shoes
Another lock of hair
A letter written to her mother while she was still Dauphine
Razor used by Louis XVI during their imprisonment in the temple. His valet's name is on the handle.
A bonnet that was worn by Marie-Therese
A lock of Louis-Charles' hair
A ring with the hair of both Louis XVI and Antoinette
My favourite of the locks of hair of hers, because of the little lock and key
Another pair of her shoes and embroidered garters
Chest that was used to house part of the Dauphin's layette
Closeup showing the MA and L ciphers/monograms on the lid
Inscription in her prayerbook, which is says was written at 4:30 in the morning the day she was executed
My god, pity me.My eyes have no more tears to cry for you my poor children.Goodbye, goodbye.
Marie Antoinette
Her last letter, written to her sister in law Madame Elisabeth, who was still imprisoned in the Temple with Marie-Therese. It would take me ages to translate this on my own, so I copied it from a website
16th October, 4.30 A.M.
It is to you, my sister, that I write for the last time. I have just been condemned, not to a shameful death, for such is only for criminals, but to go and rejoin your brother. Innocent like him, I hope to show the same firmness in my last moments. I am calm, as one is when one's conscience reproaches one with nothing. I feel profound sorrow in leaving my poor children: you know that I only lived for them and for you, my good and tender sister. You who out of love have sacrificed everything to be with us, in what a position do I leave you! I have learned from the proceedings at my trial that my daughter was separated from you. Alas! poor child; I do not venture to write to her; she would not receive my letter. I do not even know whether this will reach you. Do you receive my blessing for both of them. I hope that one day when they are older they may be able to rejoin you, and to enjoy to the full your tender care. Let them both think of the lesson which I have never ceased to impress upon them, that the principles and the exact performance of their duties are the chief foundation of life; and then mutual affection and confidence in one another will constitute its happiness. Let my daughter feel that at her age she ought always to aid her brother by the advice which her greater experience and her affection may inspire her to give him. And let my son in his turn render to his sister all the care and all the services which affection can inspire. Let them, in short, both feel that, in whatever positions they may be placed, they will never be truly happy but through their union. Let them follow our example. In our own misfortunes how much comfort has our affection for one another afforded us! And, in times of happiness, we have enjoyed that doubly from being able to share it with a friend; and where can one find friends more tender and more united than in one's own family? Let my son never forget the last words of his father, which I repeat emphatically; let him never seek to avenge our deaths.
I have to speak to you of one thing which is very painful to my heart, I know how much pain the child must have caused you. Forgive him, my dear sister; think of his age, and how easy it is to make a child say whatever one wishes, especially when he does not understand it. It will come to pass one day, I hope, that he will better feel the value of your kindness and of your tender affection for both of them. It remains to confide to you my last thoughts. I should have wished to write them at the beginning of my trial; but, besides that they did not leave me any means of writing, events have passed so rapidly that I really have not had time.
I die in the Catholic Apostolic and Roman religion, that of my fathers, that in which I was brought up, and which I have always professed. Having no spiritual consolation to look for, not even knowing whether there are still in this place any priests of that religion (and indeed the place where I am would expose them to too much danger if they were to enter it but once), I sincerely implore pardon of God for all the faults which I may have committed during my life. I trust that, in His goodness, He will mercifully accept my last prayers, as well as those which I have for a long time addressed to Him, to receive my soul into His mercy. I beg pardon of all whom I know, and especially of you, my sister, for all the vexations which, without intending it, I may have caused you. I pardon all my enemies the evils that they have done me. I bid farewell to my aunts and to all my brothers and sisters. I had friends. The idea of being forever separated from them and from all their troubles is one of the greatest sorrows that I suffer in dying. Let them at least know that to my latest moment I thought of them.
Farewell, my good and tender sister. May this letter reach you. Think always of me; I embrace you with all my heart, as I do my poor dear children. My God, how heart-rending it is to leave them forever! Farewell! farewell! I must now occupy myself with my spiritual duties, as I am not free in my actions. Perhaps they will bring me a priest; but I here protest that I will not say a word to him, but that I will treat him as a total stranger.
A top that belonged to Louis-Charles
A toy canon that belonged to Louis-Joseph
Drawing of the shoe lost by Antoinette when the Tullieres prison was attacked.
Necklace made of pearls and diamonds once owned by Antoinette
A fragment of one of her dresses
A key that belonged to her. I'm not sure what it was for, but I can guess who made it :)
A ribbon worn by her as a headband/hat decoration
A photo of their marriage certificate, with the infamous ink blot on her name
Several objects Antoinette used during her imprisonment
A purse she embroidered during her imprisonment
A scrap of a dress she once wore
Another lock of her hair, with a small portrait
A portrait of her as a widow, with things she used during her last days.
Her harp
Hair that is both Antoinette's and the Princesse de Lamballe's
One of her bodices, and so far as I know the only complete one of hers to survive.
A chemise worn by her during her imprisonment
One of her stockings
A medallion with her hair inside of it
A pair of her shoes
Another lock of hair
A letter written to her mother while she was still Dauphine
Razor used by Louis XVI during their imprisonment in the temple. His valet's name is on the handle.
A bonnet that was worn by Marie-Therese
A lock of Louis-Charles' hair
A ring with the hair of both Louis XVI and Antoinette
My favourite of the locks of hair of hers, because of the little lock and key
Another pair of her shoes and embroidered garters
Chest that was used to house part of the Dauphin's layette
Closeup showing the MA and L ciphers/monograms on the lid
Inscription in her prayerbook, which is says was written at 4:30 in the morning the day she was executed
My god, pity me.My eyes have no more tears to cry for you my poor children.Goodbye, goodbye.
Marie Antoinette
Her last letter, written to her sister in law Madame Elisabeth, who was still imprisoned in the Temple with Marie-Therese. It would take me ages to translate this on my own, so I copied it from a website
16th October, 4.30 A.M.
It is to you, my sister, that I write for the last time. I have just been condemned, not to a shameful death, for such is only for criminals, but to go and rejoin your brother. Innocent like him, I hope to show the same firmness in my last moments. I am calm, as one is when one's conscience reproaches one with nothing. I feel profound sorrow in leaving my poor children: you know that I only lived for them and for you, my good and tender sister. You who out of love have sacrificed everything to be with us, in what a position do I leave you! I have learned from the proceedings at my trial that my daughter was separated from you. Alas! poor child; I do not venture to write to her; she would not receive my letter. I do not even know whether this will reach you. Do you receive my blessing for both of them. I hope that one day when they are older they may be able to rejoin you, and to enjoy to the full your tender care. Let them both think of the lesson which I have never ceased to impress upon them, that the principles and the exact performance of their duties are the chief foundation of life; and then mutual affection and confidence in one another will constitute its happiness. Let my daughter feel that at her age she ought always to aid her brother by the advice which her greater experience and her affection may inspire her to give him. And let my son in his turn render to his sister all the care and all the services which affection can inspire. Let them, in short, both feel that, in whatever positions they may be placed, they will never be truly happy but through their union. Let them follow our example. In our own misfortunes how much comfort has our affection for one another afforded us! And, in times of happiness, we have enjoyed that doubly from being able to share it with a friend; and where can one find friends more tender and more united than in one's own family? Let my son never forget the last words of his father, which I repeat emphatically; let him never seek to avenge our deaths.
I have to speak to you of one thing which is very painful to my heart, I know how much pain the child must have caused you. Forgive him, my dear sister; think of his age, and how easy it is to make a child say whatever one wishes, especially when he does not understand it. It will come to pass one day, I hope, that he will better feel the value of your kindness and of your tender affection for both of them. It remains to confide to you my last thoughts. I should have wished to write them at the beginning of my trial; but, besides that they did not leave me any means of writing, events have passed so rapidly that I really have not had time.
I die in the Catholic Apostolic and Roman religion, that of my fathers, that in which I was brought up, and which I have always professed. Having no spiritual consolation to look for, not even knowing whether there are still in this place any priests of that religion (and indeed the place where I am would expose them to too much danger if they were to enter it but once), I sincerely implore pardon of God for all the faults which I may have committed during my life. I trust that, in His goodness, He will mercifully accept my last prayers, as well as those which I have for a long time addressed to Him, to receive my soul into His mercy. I beg pardon of all whom I know, and especially of you, my sister, for all the vexations which, without intending it, I may have caused you. I pardon all my enemies the evils that they have done me. I bid farewell to my aunts and to all my brothers and sisters. I had friends. The idea of being forever separated from them and from all their troubles is one of the greatest sorrows that I suffer in dying. Let them at least know that to my latest moment I thought of them.
Farewell, my good and tender sister. May this letter reach you. Think always of me; I embrace you with all my heart, as I do my poor dear children. My God, how heart-rending it is to leave them forever! Farewell! farewell! I must now occupy myself with my spiritual duties, as I am not free in my actions. Perhaps they will bring me a priest; but I here protest that I will not say a word to him, but that I will treat him as a total stranger.
A top that belonged to Louis-Charles
A toy canon that belonged to Louis-Joseph
Drawing of the shoe lost by Antoinette when the Tullieres prison was attacked.
Necklace made of pearls and diamonds once owned by Antoinette
A fragment of one of her dresses
A key that belonged to her. I'm not sure what it was for, but I can guess who made it :)
A ribbon worn by her as a headband/hat decoration
A photo of their marriage certificate, with the infamous ink blot on her name
Several objects Antoinette used during her imprisonment
A purse she embroidered during her imprisonment
A scrap of a dress she once wore
Another lock of her hair, with a small portrait
A portrait of her as a widow, with things she used during her last days.
Her harp