KING AND COURTIERS
LOUIS XIV AT VERSAILLES, by Saint Simon; Folio Society, English price 21/-. HE best memoirs have always been by Frenchmen and those of Saint Simon are among the most famous. These few selections from his voluminous writings relate to the Court of Louis XIV, the greatest monarch in the world of his day. Extracts are from the latter years when the King was failing and weighed down by family misfortunes and by the dissipation of his dreams of conquest abroad. So vividly does Saint Simon portray the King and his courtiers that his views have coloured them for posterity. No other adequate portraits exist. Here they are: the King, selfish and competent, Monsieur his brother, charming, talkative and depraved, Vendéme, the great captain who held such extraordinary levée in the field, James II of England, brave, dignified in adversity, but ever unfortunate-and, not least, Saint Simon himself, at once witty, malicious and vindictive. A splendidly turned out volume for those who are content with
a brief selection.
F. J.
Foot
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19540430.2.23.5
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 771, 30 April 1954, Page 13
Word count
Tapeke kupu
173KING AND COURTIERS New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 771, 30 April 1954, Page 13
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in