The Touchstone of Fortune: Being the Memoir of Baron Clyde, Who Lived, Thrived, and Fell in the Doleful Reign of the So-called Merry Monarch, Charles IIMajor, Charles
History
The Touchstone of Fortune: Being the Memoir of Baron Clyde, Who Lived, Thrived, and Fell in the Doleful Reign of the So-called Merry Monarch, Charles II
Major, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- Charles II, 1660-1685 -- Fiction
Baron Clyde seems to be the only writer of the period of Charles II who
mentions the part taken by George Hamilton and Frances Jennings in the
sale of the city of Dunkirk, but, of course, the particulars of that
disgraceful affair would have been kept a secret from all save those who
participated in it.
It is said that Nell Gwynn, John Churchill, and Sarah Jennings were
younger than Baron Clyde indicates. Therefore there are many discerning
persons who hold that he was "idealizing" when he wrote of them being at
court at the time Dunkirk was sold.
There appears to be some ground for the criticism.
But in all essential respects the baron's history is held, justly, to be
true to facts and conditions, and that, after all, is the main thing.
Exact truth is evasive; therefore the virtues of approximation are not to
be deprecated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account