#minden for queen

[minlout3heathlegs3ruffthrokfan]

Snotlout's Spitfire by Minlout3Heathlegs3RuffthrokFan

Hello, everyone! Here's another Minlout edit for ya! I plan on doing more in the future! When I found the spitfire comment by Spitelout one day, I couldn't resist but to add that in! So here ya go! Hope you like it!

Minlout! Minlout! Oi, Oi, Oi!

— Minlout3Heathlegs3RuffthrokFan

[sarnai4]

Bottom's Up

Here are headcanons I have for the HTTYD group being drunk. (Admittedly, some of these are just how they are sleepy, but I think there could be a similarity in how the characters are just out of it.)

Hiccup: Impulsive drunk. This is the one time where he'd probably start a fight with someone. They have to talk badly about dragons or his friends, but it might happen without him considering the consequences (and considering his right hook that Snotlout got so well-acquainted with, it might not end badly for him).

Astrid: Bubbly drunk. She is giddy about everything, probably singing, and definitely dancing with whoever she grabs first somebody.

Snotlout: Emotional drunk (after a few sips). He's extremely happy one second, then bawling his eyes out the next. Every emotion and a lot of noise is coming from his general direction. Hookfang might try to smother him to quiet him down.

Fishlegs: Paranoid drunk. Conspiracies everywhere. The world is out to get him. You'll never convince him otherwise because clearly you're in on it.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut: Goofy drunks. They actually hold their booze for a while, but they are completely out of it when it does get to them. They're discombobulated and also very competitive because they want to see who can drink the most before it renders them unconscious.

Heather: Clumsy drunk. She is falling over everything and walking into people and/or walls. Get her to sit down because she'll have a concussion by the end of the night otherwise.

Stoick: Angry drunk. Clear out because if you say one wrong thing, your brains might be finding looking for a new residency. This isn't directed towards people he cares about at least, but any one else better stay on their toes.

Gobber: Delirious drunk. He's very happy, but that might be partially due to the fantasy world he's living in right now. All logic has been thrown off a dragon's saddle. Best time to convince him of anything too if you ever want to call him gullible.

Atali: Unconscious drunk. She's been out cold for a while now. Just leave her be.

Minden: Sleepy drunk. She's not as bad as Atali only because of Snotlout. She's trying to stay awake for him, but it is a bit painful and she's mostly failing.

Throk: Expressive drunk. He's confessing his true feelings to everyone...maybe in a very public way. Ruffnut is hearing how madly in love he is with her again and again. Anyone else nearby is also hearing how he feels about them whether they want to or not.

Mala: Bold drunk. She's having a crowd cheering her on for some fear of strength she just showed. She is the queen after all, so some adoring subjects fans are necessary. She also is a lot less shy about a few things involving a certain husband of hers.

Dagur: Not drunk. Let's be honest, there's not much more that can happen to his mind. So, days when they all go out drinking together are also known as "When Dagur keeps his friends and family from getting alcohol poisoning or causing irreversible damage." Alcohol isn't going to make him lose inhibition. He already lacks that. It doesn't make him weird because he's Dagur. He remains the same...however, that's not to say he doesn't feel it in the morning.

Below is a one shot I decided to make based off these headcanons.

[felvidek]

Karak

Minden családi összejövetelen meghallgatom, hogy focista apámnak rosszul esett, mikor a kisgyerekként a pályán ösztönből ráültem a labdára. Már csak ebből kiindulva is feltételeztem, apaszerepben biztosan el tudom kerülni azt, hogy nyomást gyakoroljak a fiamra mondjuk a társasjátékok kapcsán. Aztán csak megvettem neki... ööö... magamnak a Karakot (pont másfél évvel korábban, mint kellett volna), mert cuki, a lehető legegyszerűbb dungeon crawler, jó lesz az, némi bemelegítés után játszhatjuk majd az egésznapos játékokat. A terv bizonyos értelemben nem jött össze. Csak mostanában kezdtünk úgy játszani, hogy őszintén tetszik is neki a Karak és pont úgy fejlődik, mint egy átlagos hatéves fiú. Végül is ez a happy end. A Karak valóban az a játék, ami a legalapvetőbb, legegyszerűbb szintre rántja le a dungeon crawler-élményt. Ez ugye az a műfaj, amiben a hősök lemennek a kazamatába, felkutatják a labirintusokat, megölik, aki az útjukba akad és hazaviszik a kincset. Minden játékos kiválaszt egy karaktert két rettentő egyszerű különleges képességgel, majd a saját körében lép és lapkát húz, ha felderítetlen területre téved. Minden lapkán megjelenik valami új, jellemzően egy szörny vagy kincs. A szörnyet hősies küzdelemben le kell verni (azaz két hatoldalú kockával meg kell dobni a célszámát), a kincseit magunkhoz venni, a fegyverként funkcionáló kincsek növelik a dobásaink értékét. A csatornában ott rejtőzik valahol egy sárkány, ha valaki legyőzi, véget ér a játék és a legtöbb kincset összeharácsoló játékos nyer. Végleg meghalni nem lehet, ha valakinek elfogy az életerőpontja, egy gyógyító kútnál némi időveszteség árán feltöltheti magát. Interaktív elem, hogy a múmiaszörnyek átkát azok legyőzése esetén a játékosok egymásra dobálhatják át, semlegesítve a másik képességeit.

Nos, az a helyzet, hogy le is írtam a teljes játékot. Rettentő egyszerű és gyerekbarát, aki tud pöttyöket számolni a kockákon, már játszhatja is, vicces szörnyeket ölni móka, a harcok pedig véletlenszerűek, de legalább gyorsak. Nem az a játék, amit bárki is előszedne egy társasjátékos estén, de pont az a játék, amivel leül játszani a kisfiával/fantasyrajongó kislányával. Pontosan belőve a 6-8-10 éves korcsoportra. Néha nem kell ennél több.

Ennyien játszhatják: Legalább ketten, az alapjátékot legfeljebb öten. Versengve vagy kooperációban is működik, optimális játékosszám szerintem nincs (bár minél több a játékos, annál nagyobb a körök közti holtidő).

Ezért ajánlom: Az első lépés egy nagyon csúszós lejtőn, aminek a végén ott a larp, az rpg, rosszabb esetben az irl rpg. Alantas módon megteremti a lehetőségét, hogy fantasy-meséket mondjunk az utódoknak. Nem birizgálja a gyerek a mobilt. Könnyű sikerélményt ad. Nagyon egyszerű megtanulni. Sokfelé kapni és vannak kiegészítői, meg egy kicsit bonyolultabb második része.

Ezért nem ajánlom: Az összes harc egy kockadobás, a véletlen szerepét a fokozatosan felvehető bónuszok némileg mérséklik.. de csak némileg. Ha versengő játékosok játsszák, akkor a kicsiknek lehet kudarcélménye - ha nem ők szerzik meg a legtöbb kincset, nem ők ölik meg a sárkányt, rossz bögrében kapják a vizet, a kishugi elviszi a kockát, rángatják a széket, lemorzsázzák a drága játékteret... elkalandoztam. Azért nem ajánlom, mert ha nem vagy specifikusan egy kisgyerekes apuka, nem ezt a játékot keresed.

Korábban: Bevezető, Game of Thrones, Catan telepesei, Pippo, Munchkin, War of the Ring, Arkham Horror, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Starcraft, Doom, Castle Ravenloft, Shanghaien, Lunch Money, Smallworld, Love Letter, Pandemic, Dungeon Lords, Dungeon Command, King of Tokyo, Bizzarie, Cyclades, Alhambra,Colt Express, Rune Age, Dominare, Coup, Avalon, Sheriff of Nottingham, Star Realms, Torres, Spyfall, Welcome to the Dungeon, Dice City, Camel Up, Scythe, Exploding Kittens,  Viticulture,  Spartacus ,  Saltlands, Onwards to Venus, Root, Kemet, Nemesis, 7 Wonders Duel, Mississippi Queen, Lords of Waterdeep, The Mind, Windward, It’s a Wonderful World, Kingdomino, Terraforming Mars, Tiny Epic Kingdoms, Path of Light and Shadow, Hellapagos, Unmatched/Legendák Ligája, Fesztáv, Adventourist, Dune: Imperium, Furnace, Pax Pamir, Cascadia, The Genius:), Hegemony

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

General Dwight Eisenhower while giving speech to veterans in 1952 about those who died under his command on D-Day: [Michael Beschloss]

+

  Sixty-five years ago [written 2009], in a brief lull between storms in a remarkably stormy June, even by the standards of Channel weather, the heirs of Harold and the kinsmen of the Conqueror came to Normandy. They were supported by the remnants of their first, North American, empire, the two great nations that they had planted in the New World in the time of Good Queen Bess and James 6th and 1st: the Americans, who had rebelled in the name of the rights of Englishmen, and the Canadians, who had stood loyal in the name of the Crown. … The honours of these regiments are ancient and moving: Minden and Malplaquet, Mysore, Badajoz, Waterloo, Inkerman, Gallipoli, the Somme, Imjin. None shines more brightly than Normandy 1944. The paths of glory may lead but to the grave; yet all, even golden boys and girls, must come to dust. It is a better path to the grave than any of the others, not because glory is something to seek, but because, not once or twice in our long island story, the way of duty has been the path to glory; and duty is to be done. … Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us. 

G.M.W. Wemyss

[qui-rault]

Aulard on Herault de Sechelles

Okay here we go, another author who is absolutely in love with Herault. I’m not even joking, Aulard is completely head over heels for this man. So here is his chapter on Herault de Sechelles in his book Les orateurs de la Législative et de la Convention: l'éloquence parlementaire pendant la Révolution française (Tome 2). Link here: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5441755r  

A few notes: 

When I make a translation, I am not agreeing or disagreeing with anything an author says. It's important to keep in mind that every author has their own agenda and writes about historical events and historical figures within the context of their own viewpoint. Aulard , as you will see, is a keen supporter of Danton, and he labels Herault as a Dantoniste throughout the entire chapter. Whether Herault should be considered as a strict Dantoniste is, in my non-professional opinion, up for debate. A lot of people are still not aware, for example, that he and Fabre d'Eglantine were arrested separately to, and before Danton and Camille were arrested, and it was only afterwards that it was decided that they should be tried together.

Aulard neglects to give sources for several of the statements that he makes and is very condescending towards Robespierre and Saint-Just. He also seems to try to justify Herault’s actions during the revolution by saying that he was mostly acting to keep Robespierre off his back. I personally think this is incredibly injurious to Herault, who was an active participant in the Revolution – we have no reason to believe, as many would like to, that he was only pretending to support the Revolution to survive, rather than because he genuinely believed in its principles.   

Also, apparently Herault bought a lottery office for one of his mistresses and I just … cannot deal with this man.  

Anything with an asterisk is my personal note/observation. I will take the time to remind every one again that my French is dismal and that is why I always link the original. Huge thank you again to @ans-treasurebox for helping me with translating parts of this and also to @orpheusmori who had to sit there and put up with me losing my mind over Herault on the Discord for several nights in a row.

 

Chapter VIII – Herault de Sechelles  

I 

Herault de Sechelles was the ornament of the Dantonist party. A man of the court and of noble family (1), a classical and lucid spirit, an orator enamored with academic elegance, he forms a perfect contrast with the rusticity of Legendre. When he was very young, he was introduced to Marie Antoinette by her cousin Madame de Polignac, pleased her, and obtained from her a position as a lawyer at the Chatelet. He won great success there through his talent for speaking and by the choice of his causes, calculated to interest the sensitivity of his protectors. "There is applause on all sides, says one of his biographers, at his eloquent indignation against the ingratitude of a pupil towards his tutor and against the odious behavior of an opulent girl who had abandoned her mother in need." 

(1) His grandfather had been lieutenant general; his father, colonel of the Rouergue regiment, had perished gloriously at the Battle of Minden (Jules Claretie, Les Dantonistes, p. 317). He was also a nephew of the Marshal de Contades (Souvenirs de Berryer, I, 1) 

In 1779, at the age of 19, he published Eloge de Suger. Serious and charming, he was soon called, by the favor of the Queen (1), to the post of Advocate General in the Parliament of Paris. The parliamentarians, he would say, hated him, either because of the rapidity of his fortune (2), or for his philosophism. 

(1) She sent him, it is said, a scarf embroidered with her own hand. - His last speech as a lawyer was a triumph: the magistrates and the audience accompanied him, applauding, to his carriage. Journal de Paris of August 7, 1785, quoted by J. Claretie, ibid. 

(2) La pere de Berryer's (ibid.) says that he had been appointed after a hard fight and he adds "He had justified this sudden elevation by the marvelous ease of speaking, which he had shown in various causes of brilliance." 

He did not believe himself out of place among the combatants of July 14, and he broke with the court party at the beginning of the revolution. At the end of 1790, he was elected judge in Paris, then he became commissioner of the king at the tribunal de cassation. A member of Parliament for Paris in the Legislative Assembly, he hesitated at first between the royalists and the Jacobins. On the 6th of October, he protested against the revolutionary decree issued the day before on the ceremonial of the royal session. Interrupted as an aristocrat, he was silent and observed in silence until the end of 1791. 

On the 29th of December, he delivered a speech on war, in which, in the manner of Brissot, but more briefly, he drew a picture of the state of Europe: according to him, each power was too poor to desire war. All the more reason to demand a lot, to summon the King of Prussia, to intimidate the counterrevolutionaries from within. Is he for war or for peace? Does he support Brissot or Robespierre? We don't know; but we can see in his somewhat equivocal words the Dantoniste policy: let's make war, but let’s be sure about making it, after having defeated the court. 

This speech pleased and, although ambiguous, rang true. From then on, Herault followed a democratic line. On the 14th of January, in response to the declaration of Pilnitz, he proposed to the Assembly an address to the people, in which the perfidy of the court was clearly indicated. As for the threats of Europe, France only had to rise to confound them. "Certainly, the French, after having taken such a high rank, will not resolve to descend to the last place; yes, the last, for there is on earth something more vile than a slave people, it is a people who become so again after having known how to cease to be so." 

On the 24th of January, he attacked the draft decree presented by the diplomatic committee in response to the Emperor's office: "I regret, he said, that the committee did not announce or rather reiterate the known resolution of France, which, as a consequence of her renunciation of any conquest, having also renounced to meddle in any way with the form of government of other powers, must doubtlessly, in the face of all mankind, expect the most perfect reciprocity; and when one will see a wise people regulating within its homes the form in which it suits it to live, leaving peace to its neighbors and seeking order for itself; if ambitions, vengeance, dare to arm themselves against the happiness of such a people, the world, posterity, history, by pitying them, will avenge them, and will mark with eternal opprobrium their vanquished enemies and even their conquerors, if there could be any.” 

This elevated and diplomatic language made an impression and the Assembly voted the draft decree of Herault, by which the king was invited to declare to the emperor that he could henceforth treat with him only in the name of the French nation, to ask him if he wanted to remain the friend of the French nation and to give until the 15th of February to respond. 

He was twice rapporteur for the legislation committee: on the 22nd of February, on ministerial responsibility, the conditions of which he discussed pleasantly; on the 7th of April on the acceleration of judgments in cassation. 

At the beginning of July 1792, the gravity of the circumstances had led the Assembly to add an extraordinary commission to the diplomatic and military committees. The diplomatic qualities of his words led Herault, on the choice of his colleagues, to be designated for the drafting of the report relating to the declaration of the homeland in danger, a report which would be read with passionate attention by all of Europe (July 11). "Our most important business, he said, is to go to war soon, and not to wait for a chance or a set back which, however slight, might make some of the powers who are now mute observers, but whose diplomatic correspondence shows us, perhaps in the distance, secret hopes and a prudence subordinated to fortune, determine to be against us. Let us therefore produce a great movement, let us deploy a formidable apparatus, let us interest each citizen in his fate: let’s call, it is time, all over the fatherland, all the French, all those who, having sworn to defend the Constitution until death, have the happiness of finally being able to carry out their oath. The fatherland is in danger, and this single word, like the electric spark, hardly left within the national representation, will resound the same day in the 83 departments, will rumble on the heads of the despots and their slaves; and this single word will repel their attacks, or will victoriously support the negotiations, if, however, these are negotiations that we can hear and which in no way alter the immutable sanctity of our rights.”  

In a more critical than enthusiastic spirit, Herault examines the objections that could be made to this declaration; he exposes them with a gift of objectivity very rare in this time of passion. He ends with a sufficiently warm oratory: "When, under Louis XIV, despotism, seconded by the genius of Turenne, held in check four armies at the same time, let us believe with confidence in the cause of the human race and in the miracles of freedom. Ah, gentlemen, a prophetic voice rises in my heart: we have sworn to be free; it is to have sworn to conquer! Called, in the face of the universe, to stipulate the rights of humanity, let us avenge these sacred and imperishable rights: I swear by these phalanxes which will gather from all parts of France, and by you, intrepid Gouvion, by you, brave Cazotte; and by all of you whom a death so beautiful and so desirable has reaped before the victory, under the walls of Philippeville; virtuous citizens, whose memory will henceforth preside over our destinies, and whose souls, quivering with joy in the depths of the tombs, will share in all our triumphs!”  

In matters of revolutionary enthusiasm, that is all that the noble and pure rhetoric of Herault de Sechelles can give. He understands, he interprets with truth the spirit of 1792; he is not under its influence. His reason approves of patriotic folly; his heart does not share it. There is in this beautiful spirit an inability to be moved, to vibrate with the same passions as the people. He admires Danton and would like, I believe, to possess his sympathetic verve; but, whatever he does, he mingles with the passions of the time only as a dilettante, with the reserve of a delicate observer, with a good will that is immediately cooled by a innate decency. His friend Paganel said that he distinguished himself from the men of his party by "his liberal education, his gentle affections, the tastes and the urbanity which reveal the beautiful forms of his body and the noble and brilliant features of his face". (1)  

(1) Paganel, II, 247. Cf. Souvenirs du pere du Berryer, I, 176 “Herault de Sechelles was not forty years old in Year II. He was one of the most handsome men in France, tall, dark-faced, very noble; he had the manners of the court." 

Indolent, selfish, he pleased everyone, even the fiercest sans-culottes, who forgave him his status as a ci-devant because of his modesty, his affability, and the pleasant turn he gave to the most revolutionary measures. Paganel, believing to praise him, judges him severely "He spared, he says, all opinions, and appropriately took, but only for his defense, the colors of each party." No, Herault was not a hypocrite (1), but an epicurean who tasted the flower of each opinion in turn, an eclectic to whom it seemed that all sides were right, but that there was more common sense and good faith in that of Danton. He loved life; but he did nothing ugly to avoid the guillotine. His laziness explains what is undulating in his politics, and Paganel was truer and shrewder when he wrote "laziness dominated over all his tastes, and the love of women over all his other passions. His speeches to the tribune, his work on the committees, were many victories he won over himself, were so many thefts from his pleasures. Herault lavished a life which promised him only brief pleasures. He was always ready to lose it. He felt that the genius of the Revolution would prevail over his precautions and his prudence; and each event warned him of his destiny. He spared himself the terrors of it, by filling with much existence the few days which were counted to him..." 

(1) This reputation came to him from the contrast which was noticed between his political gravity and his private playfulness. Saint-Just would say hatefully in his report: "Herault was serious in the Convention, a buffoon elsewhere, and laughed incessantly to excuse himself for not saying anything". And Sieyes wrote in his intimate notes: "Brilliant with his success, H. de S., in his distraction, looked like a very happy funny fellow, who smiled at the irascibility of his thoughts" (Sainte-Beave, Causories du Lundi, t. V).” 

Mais c’est la Herault tel que le fit la crise meme de la Terreur.* In 1792, he is still smiling and optimistic. It does not seem that the fall of the throne moved him. On the 17th of August, he traced with a rather bold hand the first draft of the revolutionary tribunal. His educated voice mingled with the great voice of Danton in the work of national excitement which marked, in August 1792, the dictatorship of the Cordeliers and Girondin patriots. His proclamation on the capture of Longwy (August 26) is not lacking in emphasis, any more than the noble letter he wrote on September 10, in his capacity as president, to the widow of the heroic Beaurepaire. 

*This sentence has eluded my ability to translate.  

In the first six months of the Convention where he represented the department of Seine-et-Oise, his speeches were rare. Elected president on the 2nd of November, he was sent with Simon, Gregoire and Jagot, to Mont Blanc. He was still there during the trial of the king, whom he condemned, it is said, by letter, but without saying to what penalty. The Convention liked to be presided over by this man of noble face and conciliatory manners. They put him at their head on two important occasions. It was he who presided temporarily, in place of Isnard, on the night of May 27 to 28, when the commission of the Twelve was broken up for the first time. On the 2nd of June, he replaced the tired Mallarme in the chair, and had the sad honor of guiding the Convention in the walk it took in the Tuileries Gardens and the Carousel, to make people believe that it was free and to save its dignity. It was therefore to the beautiful Herault that Hanriot made his crude reply "The people did not rise to listen to phrases, but to give orders." 

He was made a deputy to the Committee of Public Safety on the 30th of May "to present constitutional basics". On the 10th of June he tabled the famous draft Constitution, improvised with so much haste. Circumstances alone made the short and dull report he read on this subject famous. There is only one original idea: the establishment of a national grand jury, to which each department would appoint a member, and whose function would be “to protect the citizens from the oppression of the Legislative Body and the Executive Council.” This article was rejected on the 16th of June at the request of Herault himself, who declared that he had always considered the institution of the a national jury to be very dangerous. This is the first time that a reporter has admitted to having an opinion other than expressed in their report. And yet, on the 24th of June, he proposed in his name an additional article: of the censorship of the people against its deputies and of its guarantee against the oppression of the legislative body. This system contained the single Chamber, counterbalanced it as a second Chamber, and tended to the same end as the "national jury". This bicameriste insistence of Herault served as a theme for the Robespierrist Jacobins to slander him. "We remember, Saint-Just would say in his report, that Herault was with disgust the mute witness of the work of those who drew up the plan of the Constitution, of which he skillfully made himself the shameless reporter." (1) 

(1) Yet Couthon praised Herault’s attitude on the committee to the tribunal (26 brumaire an II). 

Yet nothing would alter the favor he enjoyed at the Convention. Re-elected to the Committee of Public Safety, on the 17th of July he made this chimerical and Jacobin proposal, inspired by the beautiful dreams of Jean-Jacques, at which his skepticism must have made him smile to himself, "Citizens, you decreed this morning that the house of the traitor Buzot, in Evreux, would be razed. The Committee of Public Safety thought that it was necessary to celebrate the return of freedom in this city by a civic festival, in which six young virtuous republicans will be married to six young republicans chosen by an assembly of old men. The dowry of these young girls will be provided by the nation". The Convention adopted the proposal. 

As we can see, his talented pen didn't hesitate to align with the ideas of others. There was even one instance where he acted as a rapporteur to interpret the underlying opposition of the Robespierrists to Danton's inclinations. On August 1st, 1793, Danton had proposed the establishment of the Committee of Public Safety as a provisional government, seeing in this unity of dictatorship the most effective means to defend the nation and the revolution. Hérault had too much political acumen and was too much a friend of Danton to hesitate in opposing the anarchic and disorganizing spirit alongside him. Nevertheless, he allowed himself to be influenced and presented a report against his master's proposal, contributing to its rejection on August 2. 

On the 9th of August, by a singular favor, the Convention called him once more to the chair. They wanted her noblest and finest speaker to appear and speak in their name at the national holiday, which was held the next day in honor of the acceptance of the Constitution by the people. It was a new federation. Mixed with an immense retinue in which there were delegates from all the primary assemblies of the Republic, the Convention went slowly to the Champ de Mars, according to the program created by David, and stopped at six solemn stations, in front of the fountain of regeneration, in front of the triumphal arch erected in honor of the women of October 6, at the Place de la Revolution, at the Invalides, at the altar of the fatherland, and finally in front of the monument for the warriors who died for the fatherland, at the Champ de Mars. 

Herault thus delivered six speeches which shone more by the high decency of the expressions than by the internal feeling. He moved the people, however, when he addressed the dead soldiers: "Ah! how happy you were! You died for your country, for a land dear to nature, loved by heaven; for a generous nation, which vowed a dedication to all feelings, to all virtues; for a Republic where places and rewards are no longer reserved for favor, as in other states, but assigned by esteem and by trust, you have therefore fulfilled your function as men and French men; you entered the tomb after having fulfilled the most glorious and desirable destiny that there is on earth; we will not outrage you with tears.” 

The spirit of this festival, as reflected in the speeches of Herault de Sechelles, was entirely philosophical and naturalistic: "Oh Nature! exclaimed the friend of Danton, receive the expression of the eternal attachment of the French for your laws, and that these fertiles waters that spring from your breasts , that this pure drink that watered the first humans consecrate in this cup of fraternity and equality, the oaths that France makes to you on this day, the most beautiful that the sun has lit since it was suspended in the vastness of space.” 

The inspiration of the six speeches of the president of the Convention had no deist, spiritualist character: it is the indirect negation of the ideas of Rousseau, the glorification of the positivist tendencies of Diderot. One can imagine what sadness, sincere and respectable, Robespierre must have experienced at this demonstration which already foresaw the Feast of Reason. I admit that he, who was born to preach, was envious of the role of great philosophical pontiff that the Dantonist Herault played that day. But it was a deeper feeling, a believer's pain that kindled in him that hatred, of which the harmless and amiable haranguer was to be the victim. 

II 

From then on, [Herault] felt himself watched by the symbolic and frightening eye which figured on the banners of the Jacobins, and he saw that Robespierre was watching him. He immediately darkened the color of his presidential speeches, but without carmagnole. Soon he had himself sent on a mission to Alsace, and he wrote, from Plotzheim, on 7 Frimaire Year II, in Jacobin style: "I have taken all possible measures to raise the department of Haut-Rhin to the level of the Republic. The public spirit was entirely corrupted there. Intelligence with the enemy, aristocracy, fanaticism, contempt for assignats, speculation and non-execution of the laws everywhere: I fought all these scourges, I suspended the department, created a departmental commission; I forced the popular Society to regenerate itself; I broke up the surveillance committees, the least of which were feuillants, and I replaced them with sans-culottes; I organized here the movement of terror which alone could consolidate the Republic: I have created a central committee of revolutionary activity, which requires the rapid action of all the authorities; a revolutionary force detached from the army and which covers the whole department; a revolutionary tribunal, finally, which will bring the country to its senses. " 

Thus declaimed this delicate,* for reason as much as for personal prudence: we know, moreover, that he was not rigorous to the aristocrats of Alsace and that he did not shed a drop of blood (1). 

*Aulard uses delicate here as a noun and I’m genuinely not sure what to translate it as. Possibly he means fop, or dandy, possibly someone who is tricky or someone who is tactful, as in a “delicate situation”. However, these are only my suggestions and possibly inaccurate.  

(1) Cf. Hist. De la Revol. Fr. Dans le departement du Haut-Rhin, par Veron-Reville, 1865, in-8.  

But, since the feast of August 10, Robespierre had been weaving a skillful plot against him and was trying to undermine the Dantonist party through him. His plan, indicated in his intimate notes (2), was to make Herault pass for a spy for foreign powers in the Committee of Public Safety.  

(2) Le proces des dantonistes, par le docteur Robinet, pass. 

The care which this serious spirit took to learn about all foreign affairs, his continual handling of diplomatic papers, might give some pretext to the accusation of communicating to the enemy the plans of the revolutionary government.  

As it happened, like everyone else, he had had relations with Proly, bastard of the Prince of Kaunitz. On 26 Brumaire, Bourdon (de l'Oise) echoed these rumors, and dared to say to the Convention: "I denounce to you the ci-devant attorney general, the ci-devant noble Herault Sechelles, member of the Committee of Public Safety, and now commissioner in the Army of the Rhine, for his liaisons with Pereyra, Dubuisson and Proly." But the mine burst too soon: there was a general protest, and Couthon himself had the honesty to pay homage to the patriotism of Herault. 

However, an incident had occurred in Alsace, which gave pretext to enormous calumnies. In Brumaire, a letter was intercepted at the outposts of General Michaud's army, who sent it to Saint-Just and Lebas, in Strasbourg. Signed: the Marquis de Saint-Hilaire, this letter tended to lead people to believe in intelligence between the people of Strasbourg and the enemy. The trick was crude. But how to make Saint-Just listen to reason? He immediately imprisoned part of the authorities of Strasbourg, and left in his post only the mayor Monet, and a deputy. A second letter arrived immediately, same signature, dated Colmar, 7 Frimaire Year II. The mayor was reproached for not having yet delivered the city, despite the money received: and the "marquis de Saint-Hilaire" added: "I have only been here (in Colmar) to talk to our friend Herault, who promised me everything." 

On the spot, the representative Lemane, who had replaced Saint-Just and Lebas in Strasbourg, had the mayor arrested and, insultingly, sent the letter to Herault. [Herault] brought together the authorites and the popular Society of Colmar and, in a long speech, warns them against the machinations of the royalists, adding that he asks for his recall. It was, among the patriots of Alsace, a cry of pain, for Herault had made himself loved during his mission. But he was exasperated by Lemane's suspicion (1). 

(1) Veron.Reville, pass.  

Back at the Convention, he was all the more anxious to justify himself because his colleagues on the Committee displayed an insulting distrust of him. Young Robespierre claimed to have brought back from Toulon a document which proved the betrayal of his college: "Ah! how could I be vile enough, cried Herault, to abandon myself to criminal liaisons, I've only had one intimate friend since the age of six. Here he is! (pointing to Lepelletier's painting) Michel Lepelletier (2) O you, from whom I will never part, whose virtue is my model; you who were, like me, the butt of parliamentary hatred, happy martyr, I envy your glory. I would rush like you, for my country, to meet the daggers of freedom; but were it necessary that I were assassinated by the dagger of a Republican? - Here is my profession of faith. If having been thrown by the chance of birth into this caste that Lepelletier and I have not ceased to fight and despise is a crime which I must atone for: if I must, I still have the freedom to make new sacrifices; if a single member of this assembly sees me with suspicion at the Committee of Public Safety: if my prorogation, a source of continually recurring hassles, can harm the public thing before which I must disappear, then I pray the National Convention to accept my resignation from this Committee." 

Not one of the accusers answered a word; the Convention not only passed on the agenda on the resignation of Herault, it ordered the printing of his speech (9 Nivose). 

(2) assassinated Lepelletier, like Marat, had only admirers. In reality, Herault could not bear his vanity, and mocked him. This president, after 89, refused one day to sit at the same table as a simple prosecutor. We find the comic account of this incident as it took place at Herault’s house, in Oeuvres completes de Bellart, VI, 128. 

This triumph did not stop the calumny. On 11 Nivose, Robespierre wrote in his own hand and had Collot, Billaud, Carnot and Barère sign this letter to Herault, "Citizen colleague, you had been denounced to the National Convention, which sent this denunciation back to us. We need to know if you persist in the resignation which you have, it is said, offered yesterday to the National Convention. We ask you to choose between perseverance in your resignation and a report of the Committee on the denunciation of which you have been the object: because we have here an indispensable duty to fulfill. We await your written repudiation today or tomorrow at the latest." These hypocritical threats did not intimidate Herault: he did not resign, and the Committee made no report. 

The documents of young Robespierre, we have them: they are in the Archives. These are Spanish papers seized by one of the cruises on an enemy ship: the name of Herault is not even stated there. It is to be believed that the famous threatening letter had no other purpose than to force Herault to reveal himself, in the event that, as was hoped, he would be guilty of high treason. We can guess Robespierre's rage, his confusion, in the presence of this disappointment. His audacity knew no bounds: on 26 Ventose, Herault was arrested with Simond for complicity with the enemies of the Republic and relations with a citizen charged with emigration. The next day, on a summary report from Saint-Just, the Convention ratified this arrest, but did not decree it until 11 Germinal with the Dantonists. 

In the meantime, the innocence of the defendant had come to light: the emigre whom he had been accused of hiding in his home was none other than his own secretary, Catus, appointed by the Committee of Public Safety and who, if he had crossed the border, had only been able to do so for a diplomatic mission. They were careful not to confront Herault with this. Moreover, Saint-Just's report of 11 Germinal did not make the slightest allusion to this grievance, which had been the official cause of the Dantonist's [Herault’s] arrest. It was not even brought up at the revolutionary tribunal. (1) 

(1) Cf Robinet, 349-352.  

In order to ruin Herault, it was necessary to resuscitate the old grievance formerly disavowed by Couthon, and to accuse him of complicity with the foreigner. Saint-Just dared to say: "Herault, who had placed himself at the head of diplomatic affairs, did everything possible to avert the projects of the government. Through him, the most secret deliberations of the Foreign Affairs Committee were communicated to the foreign governments. He had Dubuisson make several trips to Switzerland, to conspire there under the very seal of the Republic.” 

It was not easy for the men of the revolutionary tribunal to color the condemnation of Herault who had exclaimed proudly, in the style of Danton: "I challenge you to present the slightest clue, the slightest adminicle possible, to make me only suspect of these communications." (2)  

(2) Asked about his name and where he lives: "My name is Marie-Jean, a name not very prominent even among the saints. I sat in this room where I was hated by parliamentarians." Accused of complicity with Chabot and others, he confined himself to denying that he had knowledge of the affair. The court did not insist. But it must be recognized that Herault's notorious intimate relationship with the Abbe d'Espagnac made an unfavorable impression. 

They then read to him the famous papers seized on a Spanish ship, two letters from Las Casas and Clemente de Campos, Ambassador of Spain, in which Herault was mentioned by name as an agent of the foreign country. The unfortunate replied: "The tenor of these letters, the perfidious style in which they are written, sufficiently indicates that they were fabricated abroad only to make patriots into suspect and to ruin them. And certainly, the trap is too grossly overstretched to let myself get caught up in it!" Now, and this is not the least infamy of the Robespierreists, the prosecution had not hesitated, in order to ruin Herault, to insert his name in the two Spanish letters, to fabricate all the passage where his accomplices were supposed to reveal his name. We have said it: these papers are in the Archives, M. Robinet published them, and there is no question of Herault’s involvement. 

Asked about his mission in Alsace and about his negotiations in Switzerland, he replied, according to Topino-Lebrun, that he had worked, with Barthelemy, for the neutrality of Switzerland, and protected France from an army of 60,000 men. . -And Dubuisson's mission? It was Minister Defeorgues who gave it to him. -And Proly? - "I never communicated to Proly anything in politics, there was none (sic). Moreover, I had to confront myself with Proly. I was deceived, like Jay Sainte-Foix, like the Convention, like Jean-Bon, who wanted to take him on as a secretary, like Collot d'Herbois." And he added: "Like Marat, Proly was carried in triumph. The Convention, by a solemn decree, received my explanations."  

Then came the insignificant accusation of having corresponded with a refractory priest. To which Herault replied that this priest, being a simple canon, could not be submitted to the oath and therefore could not be refractory. Finally, in a sort of peroration, he recalled what he had done and suffered for the Revolution. "It is here," he said, "the moment to invoke my services, to remind my judges of this Constitution which has cost me so much sweat, this Constitution accepted by all good French citizens as making them happy:  It is by this Constitution that I saved the fatherland, and I can tell the French what a Roman general said: At this time, in which I have saved you, let us go to the Capitol to give thanks to the gods. These were not the only services I rendered to the fatherland: I was seen on the memorable day of July 14, 1789." Here, either foolishly or by malice, the Bulletin defers these six lines that conclude Herault’s defence to the next issue: "On July 14, 1789, I had two men killed beside me: I have not ceased to be pursued by the royalists, and especially in my mission in Sardinia. I was appointed judge, to the great regret of all the counter-revolutionaries who shuddered with rage; and when I accepted this post, it was necessary to have had courage to fill it." 

All accounts agree that Herault was imperturbable in the midst of these dreadful debates. Condemned, he said coldly: "I expected that!" And later, approaching Camille, who was choked up and foamed with rage: "My friend, let's show that we know how to die." On the cart, according to Desessarts, "he was placed alone on the last seat; he carried his head high, but without any affectation; the most beautiful color shone on his face. Nothing announced the slightest agitation in his soul: his eyes were gentle and modest, he cast them around him without seeking to fix attention or to inspire interest. One would have said, seeing him, that cheerful ideas were occupying his imagination." 

III 

Such was the political career of Herault, much inferior to the personal merit of this distinguished man, one of the finest natures that appeared at the end of the eighteenth century. His philosophical opinions were those of Diderot, for who, a little denigrating, he wrote an unreserved eulogy (1). 

(1) Voyage a Montbar, etc., au IX, in-8, p. 107-108.  

They were also those that Buffon expressed to him in 1785: "I have always named the creator, said the great writer to him in an intimate outpouring; but you only have to remove this word, and naturally replace it with the power of nature, to give rise to two great laws: attraction and impulse (2).” 

(2) Ibid., pg. 36.  

The same philosophical freedom appeared in Herault's conversation. Shortly after 89, the lawyer Bellart, invited to the house in Epone, was scandalized by the remarks which he heard there. "The master of the house rested from the impieties with the obscenities. Finally, in two or three days, I discovered that he was materialistic to the highest degree." Bellart took it into his head to convert him and delivered to him a tirade as orthodox as Sganarella's remonstrance to Don Juan: "Don't be afraid," replied the other; although materialistic I will still take care of you, if necessary (3)." 

(3) Oeuvres de Bellart, tom. VI, p. 125-129. 

In frimaire Year II, Vilate attended a conversation between Herault and Barere on the supreme goal of the Revolution. Herault placed himself above all from a philosophical point of view. He already saw "the reveries of paganism and the follies of the Church replaced by reason and truth." "Nature, he said, will be the god of the French, as the universe is its temple." He therefore expressed his intimate feelings when, on the feast of August 10, surrounded by all his colleagues, he addressed an official prayer to Nature. On his mission at Colmar, he had made a proclamation "to replace, he said, false religions by the study of nature", and issued a decree which made the decadi obligatory, and instituted a festival of Reason in each canton capital (4). 

(4) Sciout, Hist. De la Constitution civile, III, 741.  

To the Robespierrist animosity aroused by such opinions, it would have been necessary to oppose pure and rigid mores. But this delicate* (perhaps entirely disgusted) lived in an elegant orgy. He was the titular lover of the beautiful and famous Sainte-Amaranthe. He knew the art of living together in peace, around him, several young women whom his beauty had fascinated. He made them wear his colors, yellow and purple, and the ultra-Jacobin Vinent denounced in his journal the impudence of this debauched young patriot. He himself confesses all this in gallant letters published by La Morency, the authenticity of which is indisputable. 

*Same issue with the use of the word delicate.  

Even if her style did not reveal the truth of Herault in every line, what interest would Morency have had, in 1799, in forging the documents with which she decorated her autobiographical novel of Illyrine? (1)  

(1) Illyrine ou l’ecueil de l’inexperience, an VII, 3 vol., in-8. 

Certainly, neither the mores nor the style of this cheerful woman are recommendable. It was she who wrote, with her French and her heart: "We are only happy by doing: it's my morality." But there is an air of truth in the confidences which is further accentuated by the author's thoughtlessness. Yes, the mistress of the conventionnel Quinette was too silly to imagine the details, so probable, so vivid, of her affair with Herault, she who could only support Illyrine's reputation by gross plagiarism (2). 

(2) When she saw the handsome Dantonist, she thought she saw, she said naively, the god of love, the graces of Apollo. Invited to dinner with Quinette, in the luxurious apartment of Hérault, she admired the large library, the elegant living room, the outfit of the young conventionnel "his redingote de levite of bazin anglais, lined with blue taffeta."* 

*Redingote de levite is a type of jacket/coat, while bazin anglais is a type of fabric.  

The story of the visit she made to him at the Convention on the day when he was named president (November 2, 1792) is a piquant tableau of the mores of the time. She handed him, shortly afterwards, a petition in favor of divorce, which Herault read to the Convention and, he said, caused applause. But, a few days later (November 29, 1792), the gallant president was sent to the mission. "It is from the Committee of Public Safety, with the horses at the carriages, that I am writing to you, dear and beautiful; I am leaving at this moment for Mont-Blanc with a secret and important mission...". And, after having spoken to her of his mistresses and of the perfidy of Sainte-Amaranthe, he ended thus: "Adieu, Suzanne. Go sometimes to the Assembly in memory of me. Adieu. The horses rage, and one believes me nationally occupied, while I am only in love with my very dear Suzanne." 

When Herault returned, everything was his, and he bought a lottery office for his mistress, for which the security of 30,000 francs was lent, she affirms, by the Abbe d'Espagnac. It hurts to see Danton's friend take pleasure in such base intimacy which bordered on cynicism. La Morency has innocuously traced the picture, quite Pompeian, of the erotic distractions of his orgy comrades. No less naively, she explains this shamelessness: "It is rather to kill himself, she says, that he takes pleasure to excess, than to be happy." Herault said to her, probably in the first weeks of 1794 "Sinister omens threaten me, I want to hasten to live; and when they tear me from life, they will think they are killing a man of thirty-two: well! I will have eighty years, because I want to live for ten years in one day!". 

It must be admitted: this epicureanism, so indecent in such circumstances, gave color and force to the Robespierrist accusations and compromised Danton's party. But should we see in Herault, as in such a friend of Hebert, a wallowing brute? "Elegant writer, says Paganel, he devoted to letters all the time he stole from the tastes that dominated in him." I have not been able to read Eloge de Suger, which he published at the age of twenty-nine; but his Voyage a Montbar (1785) is an exquisite piece in every respect, in which Buffon lives whole again, man and author. In there, Herault does not show himself, as Sainte-Beuve said, "a light, unfaithful and mocking spy" (1), but an observer and a painter. By the fine truth of his insights, he is ahead of Stendhal, whose dryness and precision he has. A laborious writer, he constantly pursues brevity and simplicity, and he achieves the strength of Chamfort, with more breadth of intelligence and a concern for general insights that he perhaps owes to his association with Buffon (2). 

(1) Causeries de Lundi, IV, 354.  

(2) In 1788, he published (or rather had printed) le Codicile politique et pratique d’un jeune habitant d’Epone. Revised in prison, this work was not widely distributed to the public until 1801 under the title Theorie de l'ambition. These moral reflections, influenced by a philosophy that is a little too positive and dry, offer a pessimism that is tempered by a good-toned irony. M. Claretie has already pointed out the most remarkable of these maxims as well as a chapter on conversation, where Herault characterizes the most ingenious conversationalists of the end of the eighteenth century and the ideal orator as the one who would summarize the different kinds of spirit of Thomas, de Delille, de Garat, de Cerutti, d'Alembert, de Buffon, de Gerbier and a few others, lawyers or actors. This is the school where he trained and learned to please. 

This very modern spirit, turned towards the future, à la Diderot, does not drag scholarly chains after him; he does not have the superstition of Latin, the adoration of Greco-Latin legend. But he knows how to enjoy the past, and tastes true erudition, for example in the Abbe Auger, the translator of Demosthene, for who he pronounced an elegant funeral oration, at the Societe des Neuf-Souers, in 1792. At a time when the University no longer taught Greek, and perhaps for that very reason, Herault says true things about Demosthene, whom he judges as a politician as much as an artist. "The Revolution, he says, by developing our political ideas, made us appreciate the works of some ancients and enjoy all their genius, a measure which we lacked." 

He admires in the Greek orator "this proud and sensitive soul, which carries within it all the dignity and all the pains of the fatherland: this general movement, without which there is no popular eloquence, where the accessory relations, tightly packed, roll on high in periods which compensate for the extent of the ideas by the precision of the style.” But here, it is of himself that he thinks and it is his own talent that he designates when he says: "Never, above all, he never ceased to equal, by his efforts, this beauty, this continuous perfection of language, that happy mechanism, so familiar to the orator that he could not even cease to be elegant in the most impetuous apostrophes, in the most vehement outbursts: a rarer merit than one might think, because it is due to a particular kind of spirit, and mainly to the address which is the gift of multiplying the force by distributing it. Here we recognize Buffon's ideas on oratorical style. 

He himself had made up, for his own use, a kind of rhetoric which was found in his papers and which the Magasin encyclopedique published in 1795. These are practical precepts, recipes distributed without order, but which bear the mark of experience and whose interest is all the greater since Herault is the only orator of the Revolution to whom we owe a technique of his art. There is a question that first fascinated those who inaugurated the political forum in France: Should we read the speeches or say them? Both methods had supporters: some used them alternately depending on the circumstances. As for improvisation, even those who abandoned themselves to it seemed to excuse themselves for it as if it were negligence: so Herault, who by the way hardly improvised, only poses the alternative, read or say? - “It is only by speaking, he remarks, and not by reading, that one can make what one says truly perceptible, this is the custom of the lawyers of the Parliament of Bordeaux; otherwise, one flounders; the ideas relax, weaken and soon die out. This is what happens to M. de Saint-Fargeau: hence the easy word of most lawyers who are so fond of talking about business. To reconcile the need for a full and concise style with the other, I think you have to learn by heart. It is true that it is costly, but glory is at the end, and that is the way to surpass both those who speak and those who write." 

Memory is therefore the first part of public speaking. But how should one learn a speech? 

"I meditate on it, says Herault, the main idea, the accessory ideas, their number, their order, their connection, the plan of each part, the divisions, the subdivisions of each object. I dare to affirm that it is then impossible to make a mistake. If one forgot the speech, one would be in a condition to repeat it on the spot; and how much moreover the rhythmic sentences, a little ornamented, a little brilliant, in a word all that strikes the self-esteem of the one who must speak, are they not engraved in the memory with extreme ease!” 

"A very useful and very convenient procedure, to which you must get used to, to make up your mind quickly and to remember a multitude of ideas at the same time, is, when you have these ideas, to retain from each only the word that carries, and whose mere memory reproduces the entire phrase. Voltaire said somewhere: "The best words are the couriers of thoughts". Applying this adage here in another sense, I would say that you have to get your brain used to needing only head words [mot tetes] throughout the whole range of longer discussion." 

"To learn by heart, this word pleases me. There is, in fact, only the heart which retains well and which retains quickly. The slightest thing which strikes you in place makes you retain it. Therefore, the art would be to hit each other as much as possible."* 

*The French here reads: L’art serait donc de se frapper le plus qu’il serait possible. I genuinely have no idea if he means that we should be hitting each other with the force of our words … or actually physically hitting each other. Either could be possible with this man.  

"To write. The memory remembers better what it has seen in writing. Make it like a painting where one reads in the way that one speaks." 

"Memory is also aided by figures: thus count the number of things you have to learn, in a speech, for example." 

"I have also experienced that it was very useful for me to speak to remember a speech; I often tried to speak in public for an hour, and sometimes two, without any kind of preparation. I came out of this exercise with a singular aptitude, and it seemed to me in those moments that if I had had to give a speech, which I would have only read, I would have come out of it with a great advantage.” 

After memory, action seemed to him the most important part of eloquence. When he first started out as a lawyer, he had taken lessons from Mademoiselle Clairon. "Do you have a voice?" she asked me, the first time I saw her. A little surprised at the question, and moreover, not really knowing what to say, I answered: "I have one like everyone else mademoiselle. - Well! you must make one for yourself." Here are some of the precepts of the actress, which Herault tried to follow: "There is an eloquence in sounds: study above all to give roundness to your voice; so that there is roundness in the sounds, you have to feel them reflecting against the palate. Above all, go slowly, simple, simple!" She said to him: "What do you want to be? An orator? You must be one everywhere, in your room, in the street." She also gave this advice, purely scenic and bad for a speaker: "To dye the words with the feeling that they give birth to." 

Herault says that he constantly thought of Mlle Clairon's voice, and he characterizes his own manner by recalling that of his teacher: "She takes her voice from the middle sometimes softly, sometimes forcefully, and always in such a way as to direct it as she pleases. Above all, she often moderates it, which gives it the slightest brilliance that makes it shine. She goes very slowly, which contributes at the same time to furnishing the mind with ideas, grace, purity and nobility of style. I maintain that there is, in speech, as in music, a sort of measure of tones which helps the mind, at least mine. I have felt that going quickly offends and prevents the exercise of my ideas..." "... Do not believe that this is a real slowness. One disguises it, sometimes by force, sometimes by warmth that we give to certain words, to certain phrases. The result is a pleasing variety, but the bottom line is always serious and posed." 

Such was his concern to speak well that for a long time he compelled himself to declaim in the morning the fury of Orestes and the whole role of Mahomet, to the point of scratching his voice: in the evening he felt a strong diction, easy and varied. He neglected no means of training. 

He carefully studied the gesture itself. Clairon said to him: "Your type is nobility and dignity in the supreme degree. Very few gestures, but place them appropriately, and observe the oppositions which bring out the changes in gestures." He himself said: "The multiplied gesture is small, is meager. The broad and simple gesture is that of true feeling. It is on this gesture that you will be able to convey a great movement." These notes contain even more practical remarks on action: "It is important to be firm on the feet which are like the base of the body, and from which all the assurance of the gesture proceeds. One cannot practice too much in one's room to walk firm and well under oneself, legs on feet, thighs on legs, body on thighs, back straight, shoulders low, neck straight, head well placed. I noticed that in general, gestures become easier when the body is tilted. When it is straight, if the arms are long, there is a risk of lack of grace. The mid-length gesture is infinitely noble and full of grace. Don't wiggle your wrists, even in the biggest movements. Before expressing a feeling, make the gesture (1)." 

(1) The most technical remarks follow: "The soul of the arm is in the elbow ... It is in the elbow that the movement necessarily begins. - When you want to raise your arm, raise your elbows: let it be in general level with the hand. - Also open your arms. These open gestures open beside the body are better than those made in front of you. - By raising your elbow you round your arm. - Also lower your head to make it easier to raise the arms. The gesture is in the combination of the head and the arm. Raise the arm all at once, that is to say, the arm and the hand together. Make the gesture often before speaking: that there often remains an end which can still rise when you have spoken. Open and spread fingers announce astonishment, admiration, surprise; add to it also the elevation of the chest which expands to receive the idea that strikes it.”  

Finally, here is a piece of advice which reveals the secret of the disdainful grace with which he appears on the platform: "You must always seem to create what you say. You must command in words. The idea that one speaks to those inferior in power, in credit and above all in spirit, gives freedom, assurance, even grace. I once saw d'Alembert in a conversation at his house, or rather in a hovel, for his room deserved no other name. He was surrounded by cordons bleus,* ministers, ambassadors, etc. What contempt he had for all these people! I was struck by the feeling that the superiority of the spirit produced in the soul." 

*Cordon bleus are blue ribbons, i.e. members of an order of knighthood known as L’Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint-Esprit. 

This rhetoric of Herault, so ingenious, explains the pleasure of his eloquence; it also explains its weakness. This orator, so preoccupied with training himself, with raising his head, with rising to the height of the subject, does not have in him the sources of oratorical inspiration, always ready and from which a Danton, a Vergniaud, and even lesser haranguers, rise up. I don't believe that he lacks conviction, nor that we should believe in the words that Bellart attributes to him: "When we asked him what party he was from, he answered that he was from the one who doesn't give a fuck about the others." No, there was sincerity in him about his philosophical and political preferences. But he did not have that revolutionary faith which transfigured even the most miserable in times of crisis.  

In his Traite sur l’ambition, he distinguishes between male brains and female brains; I believe that he should be placed, whatever has been said of it, in the second of these two categories. 

[spraystory]

"Szabadság, egyenlőség, testvériség"

4.rész Az amerikaiak

A megannyi külföldi jöttment közül, akikkel a sors összefújt graffitis éveim alatt, valójában épp a graffiti teremtésének földjéről érkezők, az amerikaiak voltak legkevésbé jelen a velem történtek alatt. Minden bizonnyal ennek az egyik oka, hogy egy fél kontinens és egy hatalmas óceán van közöttünk. Emellett mintha az amerikai firkászok kevésbé lennének utazgatósak mint az európai kollégák. Akár helyesen ítélem meg, akár nem, tény hogy meglehetősen ritkán vetődött felénk amerikai writer. Első találkozásaim amerikai graffitisekkel egészen halványan vannak csak meg. Volt amerikai vendégem - sajnos nem emlékszem ki - fiatal firkászéveim alatt, akitől egy Mear/CBS pólót kaptam ami azóta is megvan és véletlenül ugyancsak CBS tagok Cisco és Izm voltak, akikről az első írásomban megemlékeztem, akik egy darabig Budapesten laktak, akikkel a TDF-es srácok összehaverkodtak és akiket csaknem a magyarországi tartózkodásuk utolsó pillanatáig nem tudtunk “elkapni”. De a CBS még mindig nem volt az igazi amerikai kapcsolat, hiszen őket az utolsó pillanatokban ismertük meg. Volt egy másik vendégem is az USA-ból, Auph One, aki egy vázlatot is rakott a blackbookomba de befejezni nem tudta és sajnos vele kapcsolatban sem emlékszem többre. 2002-ben összetalálkoztunk a How&Nosm párosból Nosm-al és elvittük festeni őt, ha jól emlékszem kétszer is, egyszer biztosan a System 120-as Skodájával, amibe alig fért be. Ezek után az amerikaiakkal való találkozás terén, hosszabb csend állt be. Mígnem 2006-ban az angol Aroe-nak köszönhetően Brightonban, egycsapásra ott találtam magam az amerikai graffitis vérkeringés akkori ütőerének sodrásába. Az MSK - amennyire ezt én mint kívülálló, meg tudom ítélni - akkor élte ragyogásának delét. A haverkodás köztünk amúgy néhány udvarias, hülyéskedős megjegyzésben kimerült. Bő három esztendő telt el, amikor 2009-ben egy különleges vendég érkezett az Egyesült Államokból. Ő volt a nagyon ütős stílust festő Jurnes, aki ma Scienceism néven van fent az instagramon. Egy igazán intelligens, kedves, higgadt és tudatos writert ismertem meg benne. Ma, igen tisztelt és “nagy név” a graffiti szakmában - ha ezt így egyáltalán ki lehet fejezni. Egy biztos, kiváló stylemaster és rendre egy lapon szerepel a worldwide graffitis kingekkel. Ha jól emlékszem európai turnén volt és Budapest csupán egy állomás volt neki, de egészen mozgalmasan telt. Pontosan nem emlékszem hogy kik, de biztosan ismerősök, elvitték traint festeni ami sikerült is, mi pedig véletlenül épp egy klassz spotot intéztünk, a Duna Plaza parkolóházában kaptunk falakat, Journes oda jött el velünk festeni egy jót. Talán még most is ott vannak a cuccaink.

Ezek után ismét eltelt négy esztendő, amikor 10 évvel ezelőtt, 2013-ban elindultam New Yorkba. Időközben szeretett és kedvenc festékmárkám a Molotow "supported artist"-ja lettem, ami egyrészt óriási megtiszteltetés volt nekem, másrészt egy roppant izgalmas vállalkozás. Feladatom az volt hogy egy éven át kb havonta fessek egy-egy - amennyire lehetséges - tematikus full color cuccot, amihez a Molotow adja a spray-ket. Csodálatos feladat. A new yorki út hallatán a Molotow rögtön jelezte, hogy összerak 2-3 színes cuccra való csomagot, amely engem már ott fog várni New Yorkban. Melyik writernek ne lenne ez álom utazás? A Molotow a support sprayket egyébként egyik kedves barátunknak a queens-i lakására küldte, később pedig itt is töltöttünk egy hetet. Négyen utaztunk, köztük “B” barátommal. “B” már megjárta a Nagy Almát, így volt némi tapasztalatunk is arról, mire számítsunk. Mielőtt azonban elutaztunk volna, előkutattam egy biztosan rossznak vélt email címet Jurne-höz és vettem a bátorságot hogy érdeklődjek, van-e bárki jó barátja New Yorkban akivel elmehetnék festeni. Írtam hát Journes-nek. Biztos voltam benne hogy sohasem látok tőle választ, hiszen a találkozásunk óta négy hosszú év telt el. Óriási meglepetésemre 2 napon belül válaszolt és ami sokkal extrább info volt, megírta hogy ő ugyan nem oda valósi, de azokban a hetekben éppen New Yorkban lesz, így persze, fussunk össze. Nem is akartam elhinni hogy ilyen jól alakulnak a dolgok és az volt hogy végül, valóban ilyen jól alakultak a dolgok. Mondanom sem kell micsoda érzés volt a repülőtérről, egyenesen Brooklynba metrózni és először élőben látni mindazokat a tageket, legendás cuccokat amiket már magazinokból ismertem. A graffiti bölcsőjébe kerültem, oda ahonnan mindaz jön amit évtizedek óta megszállottan űztem. Le voltam nyűgözve. Mint vallásos ember, aki eljut a szent városba, olyan áhitattal falták a szemeim minden centijét New Yorknak. Jurne-el már azt hiszem első vagy második nap estéjén találkoztunk Brooklynban, meglepetésemre Rime (MSK) és Host18 (Shots DYM) és más writerek társaságában. Este érkeztünk hozzájuk, épp valamiféle megrendelést festettek egy amolyan klasszikus new yorki bolt redőnyre. Az amerikai srácok részéről a lehető legkedvesebb, legbarátságosabb fogadtatásban volt részünk. Journe bemutatott Host-nak, ennek a kíváló embernek aki később - viccesen a nevéhez hűen - valóban házigazdánk lett. New Yorkban nincsenek legálfalak. Az európai nagyvárosok közül nemigen lehet olyat találni ahol ne lennének legálfalak, a legtöbb városban több is. New Yorkban ilyen nincs. Vannak helyek amikre azt hallhattad hogy “elvileg” lehet oda festeni, de szerintem épeszű ember nem tesz olyat hogy egyedül odamegy és elkezdi valaki ismeretlen writer cuccát lefedni. Kapcsolat kell, ismerned kell valakit aki tud helyet. És nem is nagyon láttam ezerszínű, nagy gonddal készült legál cuccokat, viszont a legkingebb throw upok, bombingok, tagek olyan mennyiségben vannak gyakorlatilag mindehol és olyan stílusokban hogy olyan érzése van az embernek, ahol ilyen gazdag és bámulatos a throw up és tag kultúra, ott nincs szükség legálkodásra. Akkoriban amúgy a 5pointz még állt, de hogy őszinte legyek nekem sosem tetszett annyira az a hely és volt valami writer, akinél be kellett jelentkezni hogy oda festhess, de ezt az embert nem lehetett elérni, vagy valami bonyodalom volt ami miatt az egészet elengedtük. Egyébként például subwayről szó sem lehetett és nem is akartam. Megelégedtem a hely varázsával, a kiváló társasággal és azokkal a spotokkal és lehetőségekkel amiket sikerült intéznem. Vittem magammal viszont rengeteg stickert, jobb híján azzal voltam elfoglalva hogy jó helyekre kerüljenek. Ezzel kapcsolatban, francia barátok később mesélték hogy előttem járt New Yorkban az egyik igen nagynevű francia writer, akinek a cuccait én magam is nagyon szeretem. Az első napon elkapták valami civil zsaruk matricázásért (!), több napra becsukták s mire kiengedt��k, állítólag ki is rakták Amerikából. Micsoda szerencsétlen fordulat egy egyébként bevállalós stylemasternek.

Szóval nekem-nekünk nem volt tervem bármi vadulás és ha jól emlékszem “B” volt aki tudott egy helyet. Hamarosan megfestettem hát az első cuccomat New York Cityben, “B”-vel és más helyi srácokkal a Tuff City shop hátsó udvarán. Ez olyan spot volt ahol naponta változnak a rajzok, de ez egyáltalán nem érdekelt. Ott voltunk New Yorkban és egy tag is csodálatos érzés lett volna, nem hogy egy full színes cucc. Szuper nyugis fújás, baráti beszélgetések, jó hangulat, szép idő - graffiti mennyországban éreztem magam. És az is volt.

Később találkoztunk “B” barátom egyik kedves ismerősével, egy amerikai fiúval Mike-al akit “B” még  korábbról ismert. Mike a legjobb arc, mosolygós, vidám, intelligens srác aki kiválóan fotózik. Nem tősgyökeres new yorki, Portlandből jött NYC-be és egyébként Budapesten is járt már a mi new yorki utunk előtt. Mikenak az volt az egyik skillje hogy egy csomó tetőhöz volt hozzáférése. Azaz a híres new yorki rooftopokra fel tudtunk jutni Mike segítségével. Tudta a kódot, ismerte a bejárást, volt kulcsa vagy egyenesen ismert olyat aki felengedett, voltunk pl a Vogue egyik fotósának a privát kis tetőjén. Rögtön az első napokban nagyon klassz tetőkön találtuk magunkat és találtam több olyan cuccot amit azelőtt már láttam magazinokban. Ez később természetesen hatványozódott, egész utcarészeket, blockokat, muralokat fedeztem fel amiket élőben látni varázslatos érzés volt. Az a kultúrális táplálék ami New Yorkból származik felülmúlhatatlan, ha valaki ezt figyeli mint akkor én, ugyan úgy le lesz nyűgözve. Egy kedves kis történetünk is lett Mike-al. New yorki tartózkodásunk első része alatt Brooklynban, Bedford-Stuyvesantban laktunk, majd később Queens-ben. Amikor még Bed Stuyban volt a lakásunk, egyszer meghívtuk Mikeot magunkhoz egyik estére. Együtt mentünk haza, mikor a metróból kijövet megjegyezte, hogy ez jó kis környék, ő épp erre lakott évekkel azelőtt. Mikor befordultunk a mi utcánkba, kiderült hogy ő is ugyanebben az utcában lakott. Mikor azonban a házunk elé értünk, ami egy csendes kis közben volt, elcsodálkozva mondta, hogy: - “ Ne csesszetek ki velem, pontosan ebben a házban a laktam”. A házunkban két külön lakás volt, az emeleti és a szuterén. A mienk az emeleten volt, mire Mike : - “ Véletlenül nem Dean lakását bérlitek?”  Kisült hogy Mike éppen a mi lakásunkban, ezen belül is a mi szobánkban töltötte első boldog new yorki éveit. Hiába ismerték korábbról egymást Mike és “B”, erre semelyikünk nem számított. Mekkora esélye van annak, hogy 8 millió new yorki közül épp egy olyannal sodor össze az élet, aki éppen ugyanabban a lakásban lakott ahol sok évvel később mi is?

Második és egyben utolsó spotunk a new yorki king, Host18 (Shots/DYM) meghívásának köszönhetően, egy brooklyn-i iskola udvarán volt ahová Host-nak volt kulcsa és engedélye bemenni. Ehhez a festéshez csatlakozott hozzánk többek között Rime(MSK) akivel 2006-ból, Brightonból már ismertük egyást. Ide "Nekst" memorial cuccot festett. Csodálkoztam, mit keres New Yorkban, hiszen nekem az ő neve LA-hez kapcsolódik. Elmesélte hogy a szerelem csavarta el a fejét és ragasztotta őt annyi évre LA-be és az MSK los angelesi aktivitása ellenére ő maga valójában New Jersey-ből való, éppen ezért használja a Jersey Joe művésznevet. Végül pedig queens-i magyar házigazdánk és kedves barátunk, Mizta Bush (DZ/CFS) is velünk festett, akiknek ezalatt szeretetteljes vendéglátásában volt részünk egy héten át. Ez a fújás is tökéletes volt. A hely, a társaság, a hangulat, majd naplementében hazametrózás, mind mind varázslatos pillanatok. New York hibátlan és lenyűgöző volt.

Időközben, az élet úgy alakította a sorsomat hogy 2006 (a Hellboy2 forgatása) óta folyamatosan - az utóbbi években szinte megszakítás nélkül - dolgozom a Magyarországon készülő amerikai, hollywoodi filmprodukcióknak. Tudtommal a Hellboy-hoz készült díszlet város volt az első nagy amerikai filmprodukciós New York díszlet, ami Magyarországon épült és én voltam az első aki összefújhatta (illetve itt néhányszor még velem tartott Band és Crape is). Az utcabútorok mind igaziak voltak, mint a postaláda, újságosláda, villanyoszlopok, rendőrautók stb. Emlékszem ott nézegettem hogy úh, ez mind most jött amerikából. Azokban a filmekben amelyekben szükség van a munkámra, az a dolgom hogy olyan graffitiket festek, tageket, throw upakot, utcai falfirkákat (stb) készítek, hogy a látvány a jelentekben a kornak megfelelően nézzen ki. Nagyon izgalmas és kreatív feladat. Nem egy-egy cuccról van szó, hanem egész utca, többször egész városrészeket kell úgy elkészítenem hogy a nézőnek az legyen a benyomása, itt évek, évtizedek óta megy az utcákon a graffiti. És persze hogy elhiggye, épp a 70-es vagy a 80-as vagy épp a 90-es (stb) években van. Minden egyes írásnak, tagnek, bombingnak azt a benyomást kell keltenie hogy mind-mind más kéztől származik. Így aztán több olyan produkcióban dolgoztam heteket, hónapokat, ahol tagek, throw upok, bombingok vagy színes cuccok százait, de talán az sem túlzás hogy ezreit - kellett elkészítenem. Mindehhez az évek alatt meg kellett tanulnom a korszakokhoz tartozó stílusokat, alaposan tanulmányoznom kellett minden olyan jellemzőt amivel a legeredetibb látványt tudom nyújtani. Ezért gyakorlatilag csaknem mindennapi kapcsolatban vagyok - főleg - az amerikai, ezen belül is a new yorki graffitivel, a 60-as évek végétől egészen napjainkig. Figyelem a social media fiókokat, amelyek ezekkel a kultúrtörténeti témákkal foglalkoznak, bújom az internetet és a könyveket. Feletteseim is sok esetben amerikaiak. Így aztán évek óta viszonylag szoros kapcsolatban állok az amerikai graffitivel. A filmvilág és a valóság között pedig valójában csupán annyi a különbség, hogy a filmben nem a saját nevemet írom, hanem száz és száz kitalált, fiktív nevet és stylet amik illeszkednek az adott korhoz és helyhez. Sokszor eszembe jut ilyenkor, hogy olyan mintha minden ilyen napon valóban ott lennék a legendás utcákon. Az amerikai writerekkel való kapcsolatomról általánosságban többször volt olyan benyomásom hogy akiket én megismertem, egyáltalán nem beképzeltek, hanem valahogy elégedettek. Mintha tudnák hogy az ő hazájukból jön mindaz amit másokkal - köztük én magam is - művelünk és ez mintha valami magabiztos elégedettséggel töltné el őket. Amerika megteremtett egy kultúrát ami életre kelt és elindult világhódító útjára. S ha van némi büszkeség bennük, hát lehet is, mert szerintem amerikának graffiti téren nincs szüksége másra. Inkább nekünk van szükségünk rájuk. Az amerikai firkász ismerőseim és köztem, napjainkban csak a social media a híd, de nem is szükséges több. Ebből a kevésből is tökéletesen értjük egymást. Mike-al sűrűn üzenünk egymásnak, tartjuk a kapcsolatot, továbbra is New Yorkban van. “B”-vel azóta is ugyanolyan jóbarátok vagyunk.

1.kép : Journes-el a Duna Plaza parkolójáan, alul Nikon, Blik - 2009

2.kép : Tuff City backyard - New York 2013

3.kép : Kilr, Nikon - Tuff City backyard New York  2013

4.kép : Graffiti, rooftop visit, bagel, happiness - New York 2013

5.kép : Toper, Nikon, Host, Bush, Rime - Brooklyn schoolyard,  New york 2013

6.kép Nikon - Brooklyn schoolyard, New York 2013

7.kép : Tuff City backyard, NYC, a brooklyini apartmanunk. NYC, Brooklyn schoolyard, Manhattan

8-9.kép : stickers

[akasztofavirag-por]

@lesseraphins tagged me to spell out my url with song titles (after I tagged them from my sideblog) so thanks for the tag dear!💗💗

M - Midnight Madonna by Powerwolf

E - Endurant by Bloodywood

R - Real? by Miyavi

C - Covered By Roses by Within Temptation

I - I'll Be Yours by Placebo

F - Fuck With A Witch by Banshee

U - Universal Death Squad by Epica

L - Lacrimosa by Kalafina

E - Enigma by Lady Gaga

M - Minden by Elefánt

P - Pink G-String by Scene Queen

R - River Of Time by Ayreon

E - Echo Of Creation by Jambinai

S - Sleepwalking by Dreamcatcher

S - Soft Revolution by Charlotte Wessels

I tag @mandalorianmuffin @flower-crow @nocturnal-mando @headbangingsappho @shiryawashere @theater-of-dimensions and @devourerofmugsofcoffe.

[jortschronicles]

Sion Reliquary Bag

Lady Áshildr inn Hárfagri

November 6, 2021

presented at axeman xvi

Summary

Knitting is an old form of textile production, with extant knitted artifacts dated to the 11th century. Our earliest examples of knitting are intricate, well-made pieces made with a mastery indicating a much earlier date of origin. The earliest knit pieces found in Europe are dated to the 13th century in Spain and Estonia. Five knitted purses were found in Sion, Switzerland dated to the 14th century. Knit in silk thread, in the round, and with a "fair isle" type multicolor patterning, these purses have been reproduced and studied by many artisans of the SCA. In this reproduction, I knitted a bag based on Sion relic-purse I, substituting mercerized cotton crochet thread at a larger gauge and to different dimensions to achieve a specific purpose.

Introduction

I have wanted to participate in Arts & Sciences for some time, but could not bring myself to put in the effort necessary for a project just for me. So in true Legion of Swashbucklers fashion, I determined the ultimate means to drum up the effort for a documentable A&S project would be a gift for the Queen of Ansteorra, Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth I, using my experience with knitting.

Knitting as we know it originated sometime before the 11th century, with our earliest artifacts being knitted short row heel socks from Egypt (Tissus d'Égypte). The earliest known knitted artifacts outside Egypt were knitted cushion covers and gloves belonging to Prince Fernando de la Cerda, some time before 1275CE (Rutt).

Five knitted purses were found in Sion, Switzerland dated to the 14th century, first described by Brigitta Schmedding (Schmedding). These bags are knitted from the top down from silk thread, closed with a three-needle bind off, and used two to three colors at a time to make a pattern. Each bag seems to be closed with a fingerloop braid and have a fingerloop braid strap.

I made this bag once before for HE Sara Asshton of York in the 2020 Sable Swap (pictured in Appendix A) and used lessons learned from that project to improve my approach to this project.

Method / Design

For the construction of this bag, I used Aunt Lydia's Classic 10 Crochet Thread in Dark Royal, Golden Yellow, White, and Black on Hiya Hiya US0 2mm double pointed needles.

I used double pointed needles as they are depicted in early "knitting Madonna" paintings such as Master Bertram of Minden's Visit of the Angel, dated to the 15th c and shown below.

Most "knitting Madonna" paintings seem to depict a 3-and-1 arrangement of double pointed needles, with the stitches spread evenly across three needles with one working needle, but I opted to use a 4-and-1 arrangement to better divide my stitches across much shorter, modern needles.

I used mercerized crochet cotton in place of silk for cost and durability concerns. As this bag is to be a gift for HRM Elizabeth, I want it to be a bag she can use and clean without fear of damaging delicate silk or expensive fibers. From prior experience knitting with both cotton and with silk, my joints and fingers suffered far worse with the silk than with the cotton. Because the readily available cotton (Classic 10) is a greater weight than the original silk, I used larger needles and produced a larger gauge than the original item. My gauge worked out to be 5 stitches/cm and 5 rows/cm as opposed to the 7 rows/cm and 5-6 stitches/cm according to Schmedding (using Knytir's translation). T

I cast on the project on August 9 with 14 repeats of the 12 stitch pattern, preferring the Sion I Chart interpretation in DesMoines's pattern to the chart in Lady Tola Knityr's interpretation. Progress pictures found in appendix B. The bag is only made long enough to hold a large phone, and as such does not have the number of rows or requisite tassels that the reliquary bag has.

There is a noticeable difference in gauge from the bottom to the top of the bag. The original is consistent throughout and bound off with a 3 needle bind off. Midway through production I found my gauge with 3-strand colorwork improving, which unfortunately changed the overall gauge. I chose to reverse the construction of the bag such that the firmest, most accurate gauge is at the top of the bag which will receive the most stress from the ties. The loose gauge at the beginning of the project is the result of knowing how an uneven but too-tight gauge makes colorwork "pucker" in an unsightly fashion, and that floats too loose but unseen on the back side of the product are typically more tolerable than too-tight floats with puckering.

Ends are left untrimmed inside the bag to allow repair options, as the cotton is slippery and I do not trust its ability to stick to itself should I simply weave in the ends and trim. If this bag begins to unravel, I wish to fix it.

The fingerloop braid closure is left off pending the presentation of the gift to the recipient, as it affects the fabric and if she has no interest in the drawstring closure there seems no point in needlessly altering the fabric itself.

Conclusion

If I ever try to knit 3 strand color work again, throw this paper at me.

Bibliography

DesMoines, Anne. Reliquary Style Pouches.

(downlaoded May 2020)

Knytir, Tola. Sion Knitted Purse.

(accessed November 1, 2021). Found in part here

20-knit-purses-in-14thc-switzerland/

Rutt, Richard. ​A History of Handknitting​. Interweave, 1987.

Schmedding, Brigitta. ​Mittelalterliche Textilien in Kirchen Und KloÌ​stern Der

Schweiz: Katalog​. Bern: StaÌ​mpfli, 1978

Tissus d'Égypte: témoins du monde arabe, VIIIe. - XVe. siècles. Collection

Bouvier, Exposition 1993-1994, Musée d'art et d'histoire à Genève. 1994,

Institut du monde arabe à Paris.

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

August 10, 2021

October 15, 2021

October 20, 2021

October 28, 2021

Blocking the Final Product October 28, 2021

Thank you for reading this kthxbai

[matekonkol]

2022 legjobb előadásai / zenéi / filmjei

Idén kevesebbszer voltam színházban, és még kevesebb tetszett igazán, de amiket szeretnék ajánlani, azok ezek:

1. Boross Martin: Kiváló dolgozók (Örkény) - az egyik legjobb előadás, amit valaha láttam, ha lesz még valaha műsoron, nézzétek meg

2. Örkény: Azt meséld el, Pista! (Örkény)

***

A legjobb idén megismert előadók:

Kistehén, Bertrand Belin, Juliette & the Licks, Mini, Lush, Sinéad O'Connor, Kamondy Ágnes

A kedvenc idén megjelent lemezeim:

Holnaplányok: Bocs h élek

Warhaus: Ha Ha Heartbreak

The Smile: A Light for Attracting Attention

Florence and the Machine: Dance Fever

Kula Shaker: 1st Congregational Church Of Eternal Love And Free Hugs

Míg a legtöbbet őket hallgattam idén (továbbra is):

Omega, Cseh Tamás, Pink Floyd, Queen, Radiohead, Muse, Beatles

***

A legjobb régebbi filmek, amiket idén először láttam (véletlenül mindkettő gyári szakszerveződésről):

Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne: Két nap, egy éjszaka (2014)

Jean-Luc Godard: Minden rendben (1972)

2022 legjobb filmjei pedig szerintem mind magyarok:

Csoma Sándor: Magasságok és mélységek

Nemes Anna és Csuja László: Szelíd

Szilágyi Fanni: Veszélyes lehet a fagyi

Schwechtje Mihály: Védelem alatt

Lichter Péter: A titokzatos stylesi eset

Igor & Ivan Buharov: Melegvizek országa

[A Hat hétre és a Larryre sajnos még nem jutottam el, de gyanítom, hogy tetszeni fognak] [Külföldi újak elvileg ugyanígy kerülhetnek utólag a 2022-es kedvenceim közé, de efelől gyanakvóbb vagyok]

[csadag]

Top 15 lemez idén ősszel

Csak azért is végigírom már, kicsit csalás ez persze. De legalább ellensúlyozhatom, hogy szeptemberben kb. semmi új lemezt nem hallgattam, cserében október-novemberben baromi sok nagyon erős album jött szembe. Szűrni kellett nagyon, hogy maradjon az öt/hó arány. Persze nem mind pont ősszel jött ki, de többsége igen. A SAULT lemezeket diszkvalifikáltam, mert akkor végképp nem maradt volna hely.  Így is kimaradt egy csomó tök jó (Jono McCleery, Loraine James, Surya Botofasina, ADHD, Michael Blake stb..)

Tulipa Ruiz - Habilidades Extraordinárias 

Az új megjelenések közül kevés brazil lemez kapott el idén eddig, Ruiz új albuma volt az egyik. Modern brazil popzene, a rock, a hip-hop, a funk, a szamba és még jó pár hazai műfaj mezsgyéjén. Azaz MPB.

Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen

Ha egy lemezt ennyire sokat kell fejtegetnem az nem feltétlenül jó, de inkább a jófajta különlegessége maradt meg ennek az albumnak. Még úgy is, hogy egyébként nem hallgattam nagyon sokat, és semmiképp nem ugranék fel a hypevonatra, de tényleg nagyon különleges, amit csinál.

Time Wharp - Spiro World

Minimalistába hajló, repetitív témákra épülő, alapvetően elektronikus lemez organikus, élő sounddal. Nagyon jól működött csendesebb estékhez, hosszabb buszozáshoz a városban.

Makaya McCraven - In These Times

Imádok mindent, amit ez a faszi csinál. Az új album az eddigi talán legerősebb alapot adja ki a spirituális jazzes emelkedettség és a hip-hopos húzás keverékéből. Erre jön aztán a mindenféle finom hangszeres megoldás, a néha melanko jazzes fújások, vonósok, néha felvillanyozó harmóniák. Nagy zenei agy Makaya, akiben sok minden keveredik. A Lullaby című számban az anyukája Zsigmondi Ágnes által sokszor neki énekelt altató, ami egyébként egy régi Kolinda dallamra épül.

Khruangbin & Vieux Farka Touré - Ali

Sima Khruangbin lemez > Khruangbin & valaki. Egyrészt ez a tanulsága az elmúlt két évnek, másrészt meg az, hogy annyira egyedi az a sosemvolt világ, amit teremtettek ők hárman, hogy az még másokhoz idomulva, kissé leárnyékolva is az egyik legjobb dolog, amit hallani lehet manapság.

Coby Sey - Conduit 

Nagyon erős és nagyon különleges, egyedi lemez. Utóbbi a fontosabb. Nem is azért, mert sokféle hatás keveredik (lemezek hány százalékánál írják ezt le manapság?), hanem ahogy megjelenik mindez. Egyszerre fragmentáltan, mégis megbonthatatlan egészként, mintha valami fura kortárs koncept artot néznénk, hallgatnánk. Ami azért sem annyira távoli párhuzam, mert Sey spoken word szövegelése tele van társadalompolitikai töltettel, miközben néha a valóságtól elemelt, álomszerű, már-már spirituálisba hajló az egész. De ahogy tematikájában, úgy hangzásában is jó értelemben feszítik ezek az ellentétes hatások a számokat. Ahogy a Quietusnak mondta: embracing lightness and darkness. Élőben mondjuk inkább a sötétség győzött a Trafóban. Év egyik legjobb lemeze.

Hermanos Gutierrez - El Bueno Y El Mayo

A Gutierrez testvérek a Khruangbin-recept szerint dolgoznak, már olyan értelemben, hogy egyetlen zenei ötletre épül egyelőre az egész munkásságuk, de ez mégis sokadszorra is működik. Még úgy is, hogy ez az ötlet (itt éppen valami tex-mex prérire elképzelt soundtrack egy western gitárhős meneteléséhez az ismeretlenbe) kevésbé gazdag, jóval kisebb teret enged a felfedezésnek, mint a Khruangbin színes multikulti fantáziái. Viszont így is kellően magával ragadó, kellően messze visz, amikor hallgattam mindig úgy éreztem ez éppen a legjobb dolog. Ennél nem kell több.

Oded Tzur - Isabela 

Ékes példája annak, hogy borzasztóan felületesen követem csak a kortárs jazzt (vagy annyira se), hogy idén hallottam először Tzurról. Pedig már az előző lemeze kapcsán mindenki John Coltrane-t emlegette vele és zenekarával kapcsolatban, ahogy teszik azt most is. Nekem ez nem feltétlenül ennyire egyértelmű, Míg Coltrane-nel kapcsolatban senki fejében fel sem merülhet a giccs gyanúja, Tzurt hallgatva ez néhány szívtelen emberben előfordulhat. Sokkal polírozottabb, csillogóbb a hangzás, ez nem valami lerobbant jazz klub, ez az Opus. (Ott is lépett fel legutóbb, mint gyors gugli keresés után megtudtam.). Mindettől függetlenül imádom, dehát én a szépelgős filmzenés jazzt is megeszem (á lá Gondwana Records).

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments

Kevés lemez volt ilyen hatással rám idén, mint ez. Azonnal beszippant bármikor is hallgatom. És elég sokat hallgatom. Kora reggel, este, napközben, otthon, úton, akárhogy. Ambient, jazz, R&B. Legmélyebb pillanatokban is megtölt élettel, egyes számokban igazán felvillanyozó, összességében mégis megnyugtató lemez. 

Beth Orton - Weather Alive

Az év poplemeze? Persze kérdés mit értünk pop alatt, de mondjuk legyen az év felnőtt poplemeze. De lehet ez is hülyeség. Egyszerűen egy érzékeny, nagyon mai, de mégis nagyon időtlen lemez, nem is hullámzó, inkább csak finoman fodrozódó dalokkal, amikből árad valami bölcsesség, megnyugvás, helyén levés. Legalábbis valami olyan, ahol mi is szeretnénk lenni. 

Duval Timothy - Meeting with a Judas Tree

Soulful szólózongorás lemez, helyenként elektronikával szétroncsolva. Eléggé filmzeneszerű az egész, egyáltalán nem annyira megfogható, mint Timothy két évvel ezelőtti mesterműve. De így is elég jó.

Isla Craig - Echo’s Reach

Az egyik legkedvencebb lemezem idén. Craig egyszerre tudja megidézni napjaink R&B énekesnőit és a klasszikus női singer-songwriter dalnokokat miközben szépen felépített harmóniák díszítik a dalokat, mindennek tetején pedig talán minden dalban megszólal az ellenálhatatlanul búgó szaxofon. Beth Orton lemeze mellé, vagy rögtön azután mehet ez.

Akusmi - Fleeting Future 

Steve Reich + kozmik jazz + kis gamelán. Valami ilyesmi a képlet, és imádom a végeredményt. Itt egy szuper playlist is, amit maga Pascal Bideau (aka Akusmi) állított össze a lemezhez kapcsolódva. 

Alice Boman - The Space Between

Hibátlan melanko-pop. Pedig egyre kevésbé tud megfogni ez a fajta szomorkodás, és nincs is benne semmi újdonság, de ha ilyen színvonalon csinálják, akkor vevő vagyok rá. Boman hangszíne is nagyon szép, de egyszerűen a dalok annyira perfekt popszámok, hogy nincs is mit hozzátenni. (Talán csak annyit, hogy a Perfume Geniusszel közös Feels Like a Dream az év egyik legjobb dala simán.)

ELIZA - A Sky Without Stars

Sokadjára azért veszít az erejéből, de még így is simán az érdekesebb poplemezek között a helye. Nem érezni a Coby Sey-féle súlyokat, inkább szikár, modern soul, de ugyanúgy hamisítatlan brit hangzással. A maga szűk pályáján bejátszik mindent, amit lehet, kattogó elektronika, puha jazzy sound, éles pergőkkel tartott neo-soul, klasszikus trip-hop; minden van itt. Nagyon jó esti soundtrack.

[minlout3heathlegs3ruffthrokfan]

Minden is Snotlout's Queen by Minlout3Heathlegs3RuffthrokFan

My old edit can be found here.

Thanks to @rykierykerman for bringing the correct Canva editing tools to my attention, albeit it took me forever to act out on it. My bad.

Also, a special shout-out to @camelottree638 and @heatherthetiredwriter to whom I've dedicated this edit remake. 😉👍🏻

I can't believe it's been 4 years since I've done that edit. It's bonkers! 😮

Back then, I only had Ribbet to use for that, hence the... lack of quality of the edit. When I finally got on Canva, I was still learning the ropes with it and was only using it for covers and the like. And then when Canva finally had the edit options to take characters and text out of pics and the like, I had plum forgotten about remaking the fanedit, so... hehe... now we're in 2024, the Year of the Dragon! Time flies, doesn't it? 😂

Also, while I made that edit, I decided to give everyone a special bonus edit while I was at it.😉

I have to say, I'm quite proud of this and love it even more because it's Minlout! But I think this has much more quality than my old one. Aaahhhh... I can just stare at this for a half-hour. 🥰

Ya know, I might even turn this one into a story idea eventually? What say you? 😏

Needless to say, I've gotten addicted to playing around with the "new" photo editing software that Canva has. So, while limited, this might give me some new opportunities to snip some scenes with these two (and Heathlegs and Ruffthrok) and then edit them to make my own content. It'll take time, but I'm getting excited. Might as well take advantage of it. 🤩

If you guys wish to use my edits, please me sure to CREDIT me.

Hope you guys enjoy my new edit! Thank you for all of your support and I hope you have a wonderful Year of the Dragon!

Minlout! Minlout! Oi, Oi, Oi!

— Minlout3Heathlegs3RuffthrokFan

[sarnai4]

College Days (and career plans)

After seeing a really fun Yona of the Dawn AU fanart with the characters in college, I started thinking about the Dragons crew.

Hiccup: Engineering. He's going to become an inventor and has already done some of that. He'll probably have his own company after graduation that makes just about everything. Need a replacement limb? Phone? Cylindrical item that will lead you to various reptiles and the journey of a lifetime? He's got you covered on all fronts. If it can be built, it will be.

Astrid: Law enforcement. She's eventually going to a police academy (cue the movie of the same name), so she wants to be prepared. She'll become a police captain in the future. It'll be very obvious why crime rates are plummeting in whatever city she's in.

Fishlegs: Zoology. He's always been into science, so he's going to become a zoologist to study animals all over the world. He absolutely loves his work and probably brings a few creatures home to study for a little longer before taking them back to the lab.

Snotlout: Drama. He's planning on becoming an actor. His work as Sir Ulgerthorpe has convinced me that he at least could be good on a stage. Plus, he's a drama queen. Maybe he'll get on the screen one day too. He's also considering if he wants to try out screenwriting and/or directing eventually. If he does become a director, he'll be one of the best and most bossy somehow.

Ruffnut: Digital communication and media/multimedia. She's honestly not here for any reason other than it's where Tuffnut and their friends are. That said, the twins are going to become YouTubers, so she figures she might as well become good at making videos.

Tuffnut: Crafts. He missed how Ruffnut's idea will actually be useful in their future job and thought this sounded fun. His reasoning is that he'll make some cool crafts to show off to their viewers. He's probably right, but there are still a dozen sighs directed his way because of this choice.

Dagur: Undecided. He's gone through business to see if he wanted to be an entrepreneur, then wasn't sure if he should just go to an entrepreneurship degree, had a few in between, and the latest one was psychology to try to understand his mind. At this point, he's hoping he sticks with something long enough to graduate on time with the credits. Can't say he isn't getting a well-rounded education, though. Just don't even get him started on career plans. He figures that he'll teach martial arts to pay for bills until he comes up with an idea he can keep for longer than a month.

Heather: Music. She's going to become a singer and probably be a vocal and guitar teacher later on. She's the only member of the group who we've heard sing and not sound bad (minus Snotlout surprisingly in my opinion. Oi oi oi), so I can see her doing this. She's not planing on being some superstar or anything. Just most likely at some venues and on YouTube, so maybe Ruffnut's new skills can help out.

Mala: Doctor of medicine for surgery. She's in the doctoral program (because I'm convinced she is a nice amount of years older than the others) and going to become a surgeon. This is something she's wanted to do for a while since she enjoys healing people. Meeting the others made her want to do this even more since she's sure at least one of them is going to be in a terrible accident one day and will need a good surgeon. Her bet is on Hiccup, the twins, or Dagur.

Throk: Criminal justice. He's already graduated, but he is receiving specialized training to become a body guard. When he gets free time, he comes around to spend time with the others. He's part of the bet with Mala and bets that Ruffnut will NOT need a surgeon because there's no way he's allowing such harm to come to her.

Atali: Women's studies. She's going to run a women's shelter when she graduates. She is also considering getting a master's.

Minden: Physical education. She's following her bestie and going to teach self-defense to the women Atali helps out.

(bonus)

Gobber: Welding engineering. He loved this in his university days and started up his own company. This is how he got Hiccup into making things too.

Stoick: Political science. He joined the marines when he was younger and became a high-ranking officer before coming back home to care for Hiccup.

Johann: Law. He became a slimy lawyer who always gets the really dangerous criminals off and puts away innocent people.

Viggo: Economics. He wanted to be very shrewd with his spending. He owns a company that seems like it's a tech manufacturing company on the outside but is actually smuggling a bit of everything.

Ryker: Criminology. He did this to understand just what risks the criminals who work for/with him could face. He works for Viggo (because of course he does) and is the VP of the business.

Krogan: Business management. On the outside, it seems like he's got a weapons manufacturing company, but he uses it to work with the Grimborns and hurt people.

[felvidek]

The Genius A sorozatban eddig társasjátékokról írtam és ez egy kivétel, mert a Genius egy olyan koreai tévésorozat, ami a leginkább hasonlít egy nagy, virtuális társasjátékra (és ezt úgy írom, hogy nagy rajongója vagyok a Survivornak, ami nem mellesleg egy IRL játszott Hellapagos). Az alapfelállás viszonylag egyszerű: vegyél egy rakatnyi celebet, akik mellékesen okosak is - mensa-tag fiúbanda-énekest, e-sportolót, bemondót, politikust és mindenféle jót. Zárd össze őket egy virtuális házba elvonulós szobákkal, majd adj nekik szociális-logikai feladatokat. A győztes és általában egy kiválasztott személy immunitást kap, az abszolút vesztes meg kieséses meccset játszik egy általa kiválasztott személlyel egy másfajta logikai-szociális játékban. Aki utoljára marad, az elviszi a fődíjat.

Oké, alkottak már ilyen műsort, mi ennek a különlegessége? Az én szempontomból az, hogy ez egy társasjáték-műsor, ahol rengeteg játék leegyszerűsített vagy átformált változata megjelenik a feladványok között, miközben a legtöbbször akad szociális vagy logikai kiskapu, kiemelt szerephez jut a matematika, a logika és a szociális stratégia, illetve folyamatosan változnak szövetségek. A Geniusban játszottak már Resistance-t, a Set helyi, Gyul! Hap! névre hallgató változatát, torzított Dixitet, a maffiára hasonlító játékokat, koreai ki nevet a végént (Yut Nori), koreai minisakkot (Janggi négy bábuval edit: úgy hívják, hogy Dobutsu Shogi), szóval egy társasjáték-rajongó számára ez a sorozat a kánaán. Illetve igazából olyan, mint egy utazás az országba, ahol nem az épületeket/tájat nézi meg az ember, hanem antropológusként bezárják egy ketrecbe, aztán megfigyelheti a furcsa férfi-női viszonyokat, a társadalmilag alá-fölérendelt szerepek átvetülését egy játékba, a koreai viccek természetét - amire én amúgy is kimondottan kíváncsi voltam. Négy évada készült, az internet sötét zugaiban meg lehet találni, ha szeretitek a logikai reality show műfaját (tényleg a Survivor a referenciapontom, esetleg a Híd, ha már magyar ekvivalens kéne), akkor tegyetek vele próbát.

Ennyien játszhatják: Magad nézed vagy családdal

Ezért ajánlom: Mintha elutaznál Koreába embereket nézni. Minden rész egy, vagy két új logikai játék. A koreai műsorok teljesen más logika alapján készülnek, mint akár az amerikai játékshow-k. Megtanulod megkülönböztetni egymástól a koreaiakat. Felfedeztem miatta egy nagyon jó zenekart.

Ezért nem ajánlom: Angol felirattal lehet megtalálni. Nagyon gyors vágás és hosszú, egy órán felüli részek. Ha csak mezzót nézel, akkor ezt se fogod szeretni.

Korábban: Bevezető, Game of Thrones, Catan telepesei, Pippo, Munchkin, War of the Ring, Arkham Horror, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Starcraft, Doom, Castle Ravenloft, Shanghaien, Lunch Money, Smallworld, Love Letter, Pandemic, Dungeon Lords, Dungeon Command, King of Tokyo, Bizzarie, Cyclades, Alhambra,Colt Express, Rune Age, Dominare, Coup, Avalon, Sheriff of Nottingham, Star Realms, Torres, Spyfall, Welcome to the Dungeon, Dice City, Camel Up, Scythe, Exploding Kittens,  Viticulture,  Spartacus ,  Saltlands, Onwards to Venus, Root, Kemet, Nemesis, 7 Wonders Duel, Mississippi Queen, Lords of Waterdeep, The Mind, Windward, It’s a Wonderful World, Kingdomino, Terraforming Mars, Tiny Epic Kingdoms, Path of Light and Shadow, Hellapagos, Unmatched/Legendák Ligája, Fesztáv, Adventourist, Dune: Imperium, Furnace, Pax Pamir, Cascadia

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

“Sixty-five years ago [written 2009], in a brief lull between storms in a remarkably stormy June, even by the standards of Channel weather, the heirs of Harold and the kinsmen of the Conqueror came to Normandy. They were supported by the remnants of their first, North American, empire, the two great nations that they had planted in the New World in the time of Good Queen Bess and James 6th and 1st: the Americans, who had rebelled in the name of the rights of Englishmen, and the Canadians, who had stood loyal in the name of the Crown. … The honours of these regiments are ancient and moving: Minden and Malplaquet, Mysore, Badajoz, Waterloo, Inkerman, Gallipoli, the Somme, Imjin. None shines more brightly than Normandy 1944. The paths of glory may lead but to the grave; yet all, even golden boys and girls, must come to dust. It is a better path to the grave than any of the others, not because glory is something to seek, but because, not once or twice in our long island story, the way of duty has been the path to glory; and duty is to be done. …Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.” ― G.M.W. Wemyss

[bdpst24]

itt az első hazai női e-sport verseny 

itt az első hazai női e-sport verseny

Újabb mérföldkőhöz érkezett a hazai e-sport. Az utóbbi években minden társadalmi csoportban robbanásszerűen terjed a sportág népszerűsége, így a nők körében is. Hazai szinten a Magyar E-sport Szövetség is támogatja ezt a folyamatot, ezért a Női E-sport Szakág és az első magyar női Counter-Strike2 válogatott megalakítása után sor kerül az első hazai női versenyre is. A Valorant 2v2 Spike Queen…

[prologusblog]

Írói profil: Amalie Howard

Nem is olyan régen jelent meg Amalie Howard Queen Bee című könyve magyarul (Bosszú öt lépésben). Nekem nagyon tetszett a regény és ahogy az írónő életének utána olvastam, egyre inkább elámultam attól, milyen érdekes életet élt fiatal korában is. Ezért szeretném megosztani veletek a szerző életútját és kalandjait, amelyek igazán figyelemre méltóak. Minden információt az Howard saját oldaláról…