The Dickinson press., 1898-03-05
LIFE IN A ROYAL COURT.

Marie Antoinstts Describes It In . Letter
to Hcr Mother.
Miss Anna L. Bicknell, author of
Life In the Tuileries Under the
Second EMPIRE" contributes an ar
ticle to The Century OF marie An
toinette as Dauphine." Miss Bick-
nell has awaited herself Of new ma
terial from the state papers in Vi
emma. An interesting document from
this source is the following letter
written by Marie Antoinette to her
mother, Maria Theresa, empress of
Austria: -...
MADAME MY VERY DEAR oTHER-I cannot
express how much I am affected by your mat
estJ's kindness, and I protest that I have not
yet received one Of your dear letters without
tears Of regret filling my eyes at being parted
though I am very happy here. I should ear
nestly wish to return to see my dear. very
dear family, II only for a short time.
We have been here since yesterday, and
from l o'clock in the afternoon, when we dine,
till l in the morning we cannot return to our
own apartments, which Is very disagreeable
to me After dinner we have cards till Q
Q, then supper, then cards again till ! o'clock,
sometimes even half past l. Only yesterday
the king. seeing that I was tired out, kindly
dismissed me at II, to my very great ~satisfao-
ton, and I slept very well till half past TO-
Your majesty is very kline to show 80 much
for an account of how I spend my time habit
ually. will say. therefore, that I rise at 10
O'Clock or o or half past Q, and after dressing
I say my prayers. Then I breakfast, after
which / 60 to my aunts', where I usually meet
the king. This lasts till half past 10. At II I
"chambre" Is called, and any one Of sufficient
q may come in. l put on my rouge and
wash my hands before everybody. Then the
gentlemen go out, the ladies stay, and I dress
before them. At u is mass. When the king ia
at Versailles, I go to mass with him and my
husband and my aunts. Il he - not there, I
60 with monsieur the dauphin, but always at
the same hour. After mass We line together
before everybody, but it u over by half past l,
- 70 both eat quickly. I then 60 to monsieur
the dauphin. II he is busy, I return to my
" apartments, where I read, I write OF I
work, for I am embroidering q vest for the
king. which doea not get on quickly, but !
In a few years (D At 8 l 60 to my aunts',
where the king usually comes at that time.
Al I the able comes to me. At s the master
for the ha~rpsichord. or the singing master,
till 6 At half past 9 I generally 60 to my
aunts' when I do not 60 out. You must know
that my husband almost always comes with
me to my aunts'. At 2, card playing till 0,
but when the weather Is fine I go out, and
then the card playing takes place n my aunts'
apartments instead Of mine. At Q. supper.
when the king u absent, my sunts come to
take supper with rs. II the hing ID there, we
60 to them after supper, md we wait for the
hing. who comes usually at q quarter before
II, but I lie on . large sofa md sleep till his
arrival. Whsn hs g not expected, we go to
bedat IL Suchis my day.
1entreat you, my dear mother, to forgive
mo IL my letter 10 too long, but my greatest
pleasure 10 to be thus In communication with
your majesty. I ask pardon also for the blot.
ted letter, but I have had to write two days
running at my toilet, having no other time al
my disposal, and II I do not answer all ques'
tions exactly I trust that you majesty will
make allowances for my having too obediently
burned your letter. I must finish this, as
have to dress and to go to the kings mass.
! have tho honor to be your majesty's most sub
massive daughter AAR4l A1yopE1zs&