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Mémoires, par Gallimard #1
Memoires 1
"Cette princesse d'Harcourt fut une sorte de personnage qu'il est bon de faire connaître, pour faire connaître plus particulièrement une cour qui ne laissait pas d'en recevoir de pareils. Elle avait été fort belle et galante ; quoiqu'elle ne fût pas vieille, les grâces et la beauté s'étaient tournées en gratte-cul. C'était alors une grande et grosse créature fort allante, couleur de soupe au lait, avec de grosses et vilaines lippes et des cheveux de filasse toujours sortants et traînants comme tout son habillement sale, malpropre ; toujours intriguant, prétendant, entreprenant ; toujours querellant, et toujours basse comme l'herbe, ou sur l'arc-en-ciel, selon ceux à qui elle avait affaire. C'était une furie blonde, et de plus une harpie..."
- GenresHistory
656 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1856
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79 people want to read
About the author
Louis de Rouvroy de Saint-Simon
1,040 books31 followersFrench diplomat Louis de Rouvroy with title of duc de Saint-Simon wrote memoirs, a valuable historical source, of the court of Louis XIV.
This grandee served as a soldier. A mother bore him at the Hôtel Selvois, 6 Rue Taranne, demolished in 1876 to make way for the Boulevard Saint-Germain.
His enormous classic of literature give the fullest and most lively account at Versailles of the Régence at the start of reign.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_d...
This grandee served as a soldier. A mother bore him at the Hôtel Selvois, 6 Rue Taranne, demolished in 1876 to make way for the Boulevard Saint-Germain.
His enormous classic of literature give the fullest and most lively account at Versailles of the Régence at the start of reign.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_d...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 6, 2019
Mémoires de Louis de Saint Simon (1675-1755)
Volume 1 of 20
These memories of the era of Louis XIV start in 1691 and finish with the Regence in 1723;
after the original manuscript by the author.
‘Tacit of modern times’ is the definition of this natural historian by scholars.
Indeed, Saint-Simon organised his work in an annual chronological order.
Starting with the years 1691-1692 he describes his family tree and the origins of his parents and especially his father, Claude de Saint Simon.
His father was erected Duke and Pair de France by King Louis XIII in reward to his dedication in serving him as close and intimate Council over several decades and up to his last day.
Young Louis de Saint Simon had inherited this rank, among the highest in King Louis XIV Royal Courts hierarchy and accordingly enjoyed the greatest respect when he entered the Kings Musketeers at the age of nineteen, and later the general army corps.
But Louis was not naturally born to be a soldier or an actor; he was an observer, a contemplator. He was exceptionally well educated and knew his classics.
Therefore, when stationed in a lengthy battle standoff on the eastern front in 1694 with Imperial enemies under the command of the Prince of Bade, he remembered Marechal Bassompierre’s Memoires (1579-1646) and decided to start taking notes of what was going on around him.
He assembled these notes at an advanced age to shape 20 books of his own Memories.
This first volume takes us from 1691 to 1697.
Some striking features are the histories of ongoing wars.
King Louis XIV, like his predecessors, was at war on numerous fronts around Europe.
From 1635 to 1714 the conflicts concerned mostly Spain but also Austria, Prussia, the Holy Empire, Holland, the UK as well as Denmark and Norway.
Preparations for new battles started in Spring, would last during summer, with conquests, sieges and victories or defeats, and would end in October for winter encampments.
Another striking feature of the first book is the incredibly detailed and extensive presentation of the Aristocratic Genealogy, not only of the authors time but also including ancestry of several dozens of the highest-ranking families.
Saint Simons refined observation of human characters and portraits are indeed his extraordinary gift as an author.
Marriages among these families were contracted strictly on compatible levels of distinction and social levels and secondly on financial fortunes basis.
Ladies could and did sometimes refuse to agree, but this was rarely the case.
The King pretended not to interfere in private affairs, but he did sometimes veto a marriage that would not suit his political interests.
On general political matters, King Louis XIV appears as a powerful and selfish despot;
he was undoubtedly the initiating factor of the French Revolution of the future.
Religious matters and their political influence are treated by the author as they happen in the course of regular courtly events but are not dominant as they were at the time of Gregoire of Tours, in the 6th century, at the beginning of the history of France.
Madame de Sévigné with her ‘Letters to her daughter’ as well as Mr La Bruyère with his ‘Characters’ were contemporaries of Saint Simon; he was full of affection for them and knew them both personally.
Saint Simon’s style of writing in the first person, feels intimate and is enjoyable to read even if it takes a little time to adjust to some obsolete vocabulary.
This book is not an easy read at first sight, but for confirmed ‘history freaks’ it is interesting as it feels like a world of its own; almost alien and can become addictive; there is not much comparable for the same time period.
Volume 1 of 20
These memories of the era of Louis XIV start in 1691 and finish with the Regence in 1723;
after the original manuscript by the author.
‘Tacit of modern times’ is the definition of this natural historian by scholars.
Indeed, Saint-Simon organised his work in an annual chronological order.
Starting with the years 1691-1692 he describes his family tree and the origins of his parents and especially his father, Claude de Saint Simon.
His father was erected Duke and Pair de France by King Louis XIII in reward to his dedication in serving him as close and intimate Council over several decades and up to his last day.
Young Louis de Saint Simon had inherited this rank, among the highest in King Louis XIV Royal Courts hierarchy and accordingly enjoyed the greatest respect when he entered the Kings Musketeers at the age of nineteen, and later the general army corps.
But Louis was not naturally born to be a soldier or an actor; he was an observer, a contemplator. He was exceptionally well educated and knew his classics.
Therefore, when stationed in a lengthy battle standoff on the eastern front in 1694 with Imperial enemies under the command of the Prince of Bade, he remembered Marechal Bassompierre’s Memoires (1579-1646) and decided to start taking notes of what was going on around him.
He assembled these notes at an advanced age to shape 20 books of his own Memories.
This first volume takes us from 1691 to 1697.
Some striking features are the histories of ongoing wars.
King Louis XIV, like his predecessors, was at war on numerous fronts around Europe.
From 1635 to 1714 the conflicts concerned mostly Spain but also Austria, Prussia, the Holy Empire, Holland, the UK as well as Denmark and Norway.
Preparations for new battles started in Spring, would last during summer, with conquests, sieges and victories or defeats, and would end in October for winter encampments.
Another striking feature of the first book is the incredibly detailed and extensive presentation of the Aristocratic Genealogy, not only of the authors time but also including ancestry of several dozens of the highest-ranking families.
Saint Simons refined observation of human characters and portraits are indeed his extraordinary gift as an author.
Marriages among these families were contracted strictly on compatible levels of distinction and social levels and secondly on financial fortunes basis.
Ladies could and did sometimes refuse to agree, but this was rarely the case.
The King pretended not to interfere in private affairs, but he did sometimes veto a marriage that would not suit his political interests.
On general political matters, King Louis XIV appears as a powerful and selfish despot;
he was undoubtedly the initiating factor of the French Revolution of the future.
Religious matters and their political influence are treated by the author as they happen in the course of regular courtly events but are not dominant as they were at the time of Gregoire of Tours, in the 6th century, at the beginning of the history of France.
Madame de Sévigné with her ‘Letters to her daughter’ as well as Mr La Bruyère with his ‘Characters’ were contemporaries of Saint Simon; he was full of affection for them and knew them both personally.
Saint Simon’s style of writing in the first person, feels intimate and is enjoyable to read even if it takes a little time to adjust to some obsolete vocabulary.
This book is not an easy read at first sight, but for confirmed ‘history freaks’ it is interesting as it feels like a world of its own; almost alien and can become addictive; there is not much comparable for the same time period.
November 14, 2017
laborieuse lecture imposée, si les quelques gossips de la cour de Louis XIV peuvent être vraiment drôles et intéressants pour un lecteur du XXIe siècle, le reste est très lourd, assommant même...
November 22, 2020
Mine d'informations sur la vie à Versailles contées par ce mémorialiste à la dent souvent dure envers ses contemporains mais d'un humour redoutable.
January 6, 2025
Mind-numbingly boring.
June 3, 2025
3/5 étoiles
Se prête bien à une lecture en extrait (outre les inévitables lacunes que cela suppose)
Réfléchit au lien entre le privé et le public (superposition quasi parfaite des deux sphères)
Se prête bien à une lecture en extrait (outre les inévitables lacunes que cela suppose)
Réfléchit au lien entre le privé et le public (superposition quasi parfaite des deux sphères)
October 24, 2020
Oh, la méchanceté incisive de cet homme-là, son humour cruel et ravageur, son observation fine et perçante des petitesses voire bassesses de la cour, mais aussi du charme et de l'intelligence qui font oublier la laideur de certains visages !
Le parti-pris du vidame de Chartres, on le connait : il déteste les bâtards royaux, ces princes de sangs issus des adultères d'Henri IV et de Louis XIV. Il hait Madame de Maintenon et sa coterie. Ne trouvent grâce à ses yeux que les tenants du Duc de Bourgogne, un des petits fils du Roi Soleil. Et quelques autres personnalités non ralliées dont il aime l'esprit, la bonté, la vivacité.
Un grand souvenir de lecture captive l'année de mon bac de français, quelle découverte et que de rires grinçants offerts par ces Mémoires !
Le parti-pris du vidame de Chartres, on le connait : il déteste les bâtards royaux, ces princes de sangs issus des adultères d'Henri IV et de Louis XIV. Il hait Madame de Maintenon et sa coterie. Ne trouvent grâce à ses yeux que les tenants du Duc de Bourgogne, un des petits fils du Roi Soleil. Et quelques autres personnalités non ralliées dont il aime l'esprit, la bonté, la vivacité.
Un grand souvenir de lecture captive l'année de mon bac de français, quelle découverte et que de rires grinçants offerts par ces Mémoires !
February 25, 2024
Je dirai plutôt que j'ai "parcouru" ces quelques 400 pages, car il ne m'intéressait pas vraiment de lire ces innombrables et interminables anecdotes et portraits qu'a relatés Saint-Simon à propos de la cour de Louis XIV. En revanche, j'ai prélevé, page après page, les éléments métalittéraires en rapport avec ce qu'est ce genre complexe des Mémoires, que j'ai trouvés plus utiles.
Si les ragots et l'époque classique sont votre truc alors foncez, je ne doute pas que ce livre vous amusera, mais en tout cas ça n'est pas ma tasse de thé.
PS : j'exagère un peu, il y a quelques passages qui relatent des événements historiques qui sont tout à fait intéressants. Mais ils sont très minoritaires.
Si les ragots et l'époque classique sont votre truc alors foncez, je ne doute pas que ce livre vous amusera, mais en tout cas ça n'est pas ma tasse de thé.
PS : j'exagère un peu, il y a quelques passages qui relatent des événements historiques qui sont tout à fait intéressants. Mais ils sont très minoritaires.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews