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Pompeu Batoni, Sir Sampson Gideon and an unidentified companion, 1767

Eighteenth Century Studies in an Eighteenth Century City

I have some very exciting news for eighteenth-century enthusiasts who would like to bring their love for an era into the academic realm.  The University of Edinburgh  is offering a brand new masters program in Eighteenth-Century Cultures.  What does that mean you may ask?  It means that if you have had hopes of spending a whole year researching something like art, fashion, literature, famous figures, etc in our most favorite of times then you now have a means of doing it.   As well as expanding on students' previous knowledge in various aspects of the century, the program has aims of providing real world training AKA how to get a job; because as we all know these are trying times and one does not want to have such a fabulous degree and come out looking like this.  The degree is aimed at people in multiple disciplines who share a common love of the eighteenth century so it sounds like you will be part of a multifaceted and supportive community!

Added bonus: you get to live in Edinburgh which is basically like traveling back in time to the Georgian age.  I have actually seen a man in a full domino walking down the street at night.  A full domino, complete with cane!  This city is great.

For more information check out this pdf and feel free to email the directors (see pdf) who are more than happy to answer any questions.

What Would Marie Antoinette Eat?

Thanks to the direction of Heidenkind, I have spent the whole morning watching The Supersize Eaters; a show I know of....but always forget the name of.  I have a feeling many are familiar with the show and maybe even familiar with the episode that centers on Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI's meals.  If not, you are in for a treat! 

The first part of the video can be seen here and then the rest linked to.  I just can't decide what is more interesting: the crazy (and amount of!) food the royals ate or the humorous banter of the hosts (Sue and Giles) who genuinely look like they enjoy making the show.  Here they are playing billiards, an 18th century means of aiding digestions:

Wait, that looks familiar....hmmm.

Quotables

"As her Grace, when requisite, expressed sentiments very frankly that she knew to be right, although not perfectly agreeable to some hearers, she was at that time not sparing in her animadversions.  She accosted, with very great and just severity, a well-known peripatetic (we do not mean a peripatetic philospher,) and exposed his conduct in so humourous and strong satire, that is said she almost recalled to his recollection that there is such a feeling as shame in the human mind."

-Public characters of 1799-1800. To be continued annually.

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Sir Thomas Lawrence, Emilia Mary Boucherett with a Doll, 1793

Gossip at Chatsworth

Eliza Sheridan was certainly aware of her husband's tendencies to be, oh how do we say this delicately, a slut.  When she first found out about his affair with Fanny Crewe, Eliza threw a fit, but sadly Sheridan was not a man to be controlled and Eliza ended up admitting defeat (although she had her own vengeful affairs).  Her letter to her friend Mary Anne Canning in 1785 is very revealing of for genteel women had to constantly deal with their husband's infidelities:

"S is in Town—and so is Mrs Crewe. I am in the Country and so is Mr Crewe—a very convenient Arrangement, is it not? Oh the Tiddlings and Fiddlings that have been going on at Chatsworth. 'Twas quite a Comedy to see it."

Ob-sessed: Coiffure Products

Oh marketing gimmicks!  While looking for hairspray this weekend I came across a product with the image you see above.  Did I need Umberto Gianni's Backcomb in a Bottle? No.  Did I want it? You know it!

More marketing
gimmicks!

Luckily the company puts out travel sizes of their products which is ideal for impulse buyers like myself.  Well, it looks like I will be buying the normal-size version in the future too, this stuff is great!  Take a few strands of hair that need some pouf action and spritz them and  style your glorious locks into the coiffure of your choice.  It does have hairspray-like elements in it so it will harden hair.  For extra 18th century action you can pair it with Bumble and Bumble white hair powder (one of my essential hair products) and you will really be indulging in your inner eighteenth-century fashionista/o. 

I found Backcomb in a Bottle at Boots, North American peeps will sadly have order them from overseas, because I haven't yet found any US suppliers- let me know if you do find it stateside though!