Chapter 1.1.II: Realized Ideals
Overview
In this philosophical chapter, Carlyle discusses the symbolic significance of Louis XV's impending death. "Sovereigns die and sovereignties," he says.
It is only by a kind of tacit mass consent that man is able to turn another man into a king. But when society breaks down, all this pomp and circumstance becomes pageantry.
These days, the king either hunts or does nothing. It has been long since the nobles furnished a war. They rather both conspire merely to oppress the weary people who are quickly coming to hate the symbols they once upheld.
Notes
Maison-Bouche, and Valetaille Maison-Bouche (lit. “House-Mouth”) refers to those people responsible for preparing the King's meals; Valetaille (cf. English “valet”) refers more generally to the King's servants
Troop of Players, with their pasteboard coulisses A group of actors traveling for the King's entertainment; coulisses: a flat piece of scenery at the side of the stage in a theater
tumbril An open cart that tilted backwards to dump its load. Ominously, the word is mostly remembered today for its use in conveying prisoners to the guillotine during the revolution
Monmouth-Street Monmouth Street is a street located in the Seven Dials area of London. Historically, it was associated with the clothing and textile trade
The white European mocks; but ought rather to consider; and see whether he, at home, could not do the like a little more wisely. Moby-Dick fans will note Carlyle's manifest influence on Melville.
Boston Harbour is black with unexpected Tea A reference to the Boston Tea Party, which took place on December 16, 1773, approximately four months before Louis XV took sick on April 27, 1774.
Merovingian Kings The Merovingian dynasty, succeeded by the Carolingians, ruled the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751.
Charlemagne sleeps at Salzburg I don’t know what this means. From what I can tell, Charlemagne (b. 747) died in Aachen in 814, where his remains remain at the Karlsschrein of the Aachen Cathedral.
Charles the Hammer, Pepin Bow-legged Charles Martel and Pepin the Short, respectively grandfather and father of Charlemagne
Rollo Rollo (d. circa 930) was a viking who became the first leader of Normandy after striking a deal with Charles III, aka Charles the Simple, king of West Francia.
Towhead (Tête d’étoupes) William III, Duke of Aquitaine, so called for his unruly light-blond hair
Iron-cutter (Taillefer) William "Taillefer" I, aka William II of Angoulême, was the Count of Angoulême. He died in 962.
shrill Fredegonda, shrill Brunhilda Fredehund (d. 597) was queen-consort of Chilperic I, a Merovingian king who ruled Soissons. Brunhilda refers not to the Germanic legendary figure but to Brunhilda of Austrasia (543-613), queen-consort of Austrasia.
Dame de Nesle Refers again to the duchesse de Chateauroux, see previous chapter above
Mud-Town of the Borderers (Lutetia Parisiorum or Barisiorum) Refers to the ancient settlement of Lutetia Parisiorum, precursor to Paris, founded circa 3rd century BC and later colonized by the Romans
Bibliothèque du Roi A library first created under Charles V in 1368, precursor to the Bibliothèque national de France. Greatly expanded by Louis XIV and opened to the public in 1692
Golconda A historic fortress and ruined city on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India.
Kirk Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church"
oubliettes Secret dungeons only accessible by trapdoor in the ceiling
Clovis, in the Champ de Mars Clovis I (466-511), the most famous Merovingian king and a Christian convert, established his dominance at the Battle of Soissons.
‘It was thus thou clavest the vase’ (St. Remi’s and mine) ‘at Soissons,’ After the Battle of Soisson, the semi-legendary sacred Vase of Soissons was stolen from a church. At the insistance of the Bishop of Reims, Clovis, not yet a Christian, agreed to return the vase, but it was smashed by a soldier who disapproved of Clovis’s leniency. A year later, Clovis ran into the man, took his axe, threw it on the ground, and smashed his head to bits as he knelt down to pick it up, saying “As you did the vase!”
Belial's The devil's
Orleans Regents Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, a convivial libertine, served as regent of France from 1715-1723 while King Louis was 5-13 years old. The title Duke d’Orléans was a title granted by the king to one of his close relatives, usually a brother or son. Philippe had inherited the title from his ancestors. He was a nephew of Louis XIV, whose daughter he married. He was a great-uncle of Louis XV.
roué A debauched man, especially an older one
Fronde The Fronde was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653 triggered by a series of tax edicts in which King Louis XIV (the Sun King) confronted the combined power of the princes, the nobility, and the parlements. The nobility was utterly defeated and the era of absolute monarchy begin
caryatides sculpted female figures serving as architectural support
Deputy Lapoule An obscure French figure who apparently called for the end of this barbarous right
Charolois Residents of the Charolles commune in France
peuple taillable et corvéable à merci et miséricorde “people who are subject to be cut and used for forced labor at the mercy and pity of others” (cf. le corveé, the labor tax imposed on the French peasantry)
Gabelle A very unpopular tax on salt that intermittently plagued the French people from the middle of the 14th century until its final abolition in 1946
Sciolists A sciolist is a person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed.