Brothers are better than Mothers!

In a letter to the Empress Maria Theresa, the comte de Mercy accounted for a conversation Marie Antoinette had with him.

The topic of conversation was her mother, and she explained that although she loved her mother, even when separated by distance she feared her.  The great intimidation she felt by her mother made her even more uneasy to tell her of anything that went wrong in her life.

She continued to talk about how different things were with her brother the Emperor.  With him she felt completely at ease, and knew she could joke around with him as they had in the past.  She didn't mind telling him her troubles, and would tell him if he said something she disagreed with. 

Mercy took to his pen to tell the Empress what the young Antoinette had explained and expressed his optimistic opinion that he had "confidence that a character so full of truth sincerity and candour will preserve Marie Antoinette in a whirlpool as dangerous as this is."

1 February 1773

5 comments:

  1. Yes so true..she was much more at ease with her brother the Emperor. He was also the one who advised her and came for a visit regarding MA and Louis'... 'abstinence'. Love this post, Lauren:)

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  2. Makes me think of the scene in Coppola's movie where the Emperor takes Louis XVI aside and discusses "locks".

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  3. @Ms. Lucy I have always wanted a brother lol stuck with sisters...


    @Tulip LOL

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  4. "confidence that a character so full of truth sincerity and candour will preserve Marie Antoinette in a whirlpool as dangerous as this is."

    I am afraid he wasn't much of a prophet!

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  5. I wonder if that was one of things Marie-Anne had in common with Georgiana? Georgiana used to be on the receiving end of a lot of maternal tellings off and guilt trips...

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