Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-09
fFor the Evening Star.
MARIE ANTOINETTE.

Marie Antoinette, Archduchess of Austria.
and Queen of France, was born at Vienna in
1855. As daughter of the illustrious Marie
Theresa, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia and
Empress of Germany, her condition in infancy
and girlhood days was such as royalty, wealth,
and exalted station ever confers
Her moral character was always good
Ihere Is on record 10 well authenticated in
stance of her having been guilty of committing
premeditated wrong or base act. At the
austrian court, not the first word was ever
iisped in disparagement of her good name :;
but at her own royal home, as the unfortu-
nate Queen of France, jealous and designing
personages Of both sexes, wickedly traduced
and accused her of the grossest conduct.
Dear reader, impartial history proves this
to have been fact, and proclaims Marie to
have been in heart noble woman Her faults
and indiscretions were the legitimate offspring
of her education, the liveliness af her nature.
and the unparalleled circumstances surround
ing her,
Her disposition was of that open, cordial,
and afectionate kind which constitutes the
crowning glory of woman. BY nature she
possessed mental endowments of the highest
quality-grsat strength Of mind, great energy,
deterRined, but yielding will
Happy were the first fourteen or fifteen
years of her life. At this age she was
lovely, charming girl, with faxen curls, prone
to look on the bright side of all things A
mothers love and affsotienate care she never
knew, and by tae death OF her father she was
early deprived of his Her mother intrusted
the care and education of her children to
others, Metastasio, Marie's italian teacher,
is said to have been the only one faithful and
true to his duty
In THIS language she made great proficiency
IN Others and her. studies generally, she was
sIperfcial- Her preceptor was ever IN her
presence, ridiculing the manners and customs
of the French Verrnout, sent from the French
court by Louis XIV, as her instructor, knowing
that the beautiful and talented archduchess
was to be the future queen of France, kept
her in total ignorance Of the rules and etiquette
Of that court; hoping, tnat by SO doing, he
would make his services necessary to her after
she came to the throne Hence, she was ig-
norant of and was taught to despise the cere-
monies of royal family, of which she was
soon to become an unfortunate member In
after life she strsve to conform as far as pos
sible to the exaction of royal custom but by
the artlessness of her nature she would now
and then shock the feelings of those surround
ing her, whose every action was hampered by
by unnatural rules of etiquette
Marie was betrothed in her fourteenth year
to the young Dauphin of France, May 10th,
l77O, and her marriage took place at Yer
sailles. A gorgeous cavalcade of her civil and
military countrymen escorted her to the from
tiers Of Austria and France. Here she was
met by long and splendid train of French
mobiles, charioted in magnifcence The peo-
pie were dazzled and enchanted with her
beauty and queenly grace.
The gorgeous palaces at Versailles and the
world renowned Tuileries, during her bridal
days, were scenes Of royal splendor and court
ly pomp. Feats, balls, and grand illumina-
tions were continually during these days given
in honor Of the beautiful and accomplished
young Dauphiness Louis was learned and
conscientiouss but he was insensible to the
charms Ofhis young wife, and seemingly desti-
tute Of the tender emotions OF love For the