Marie-Antoinette's Mother, Queen Maria-Theresa of Austria
This little 18th Century Dutch Papillon has a nice little blaze...
Napoleon Bonaparte's comments at Josephine's request for a divorce...
"So! I find I cannot depend on you.--These women! --Josephine! -- If you had loved me, you would before now have told me all I have heard from Junot --He is a real friend--Josephine! --And I, 600 leagues from her--you ought to have told me. That she should thus have decieved me!!!""Woe to them!--I will exterminate her whole race of fops and puppies!"
Sir Issac Newton was known to have a little spaniel. One day, when Sir Newton was engaged in physicking, one of his little dogs named "Beauty" (who as is well known, destroyed a vast amount of work, and who he reproved only in these words, "Ah! Beauty, you little know the mischief you have done!"), some strangers called to see him; but they at once retired, respecting the man's occupation. In every more or less lofty life, there is a little dog, "Beauty"
- Eliza Lee Cabot Follen, 1787-1860
Louis XIV's court recorded that at the king's balls, Madame des Ursin, who was close to the king, carried her little Spaniel in her arms, as though she had been in her own house. When the audience saw the king caress this little dog over and over, such a high flight had never been seen!
Her acquaintence, Marquis de Vendome, was equally matter of notority. More than once he ran the risk of being taken prisoner from mere indolence. He was filthy in the extreme, and proud of it. His bed was always full of dogs and bitches, who littered at his side, the pups rolling in the clothes. He was under constraint in nothing.
-Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court
In the Memoirs of the Comtese Mme du Barry with minute details of her entire career as favorite of Loius XV (which is questionable), she describes her dwarf Spaniel, Dorene:
"Following the order or disorder in which I have written thus far, I will first introduce my dear Dorene! How amiably affectionate and attached to thy mistress wert thou! The poor animal still exists; for I would have you know that I am speaking of a most faithful little dog; now indeed grown old, asthmatic and snappish, but fifteen years since, distinguished for her lightness, swiftness, and grace, for her pretty little countenance, white teeth, sparkling eyes, long tufted tail, and above all for her snow-white coat, spotted here and there with the most beautiful brown.
-Memoirs of Madame du Barry
Madame du Pompadour, comtesse to King Louis XV and her spaniel
In 1744 a young woman named Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson caught the eye of King Louis XV and became his mistress. She divorced her husband and was awarded the title Marquis de Pompadour. They both loved animals and their pets included monkeys, dogs and different kinds of birds. His most beloved pet was an angora cat and hers, a small spaniel that was always by her side.
Louis bored easily, and Mme. Pompadour knew how to keep him entertained. She could act, dance sing and play the clavichord. She had a small theater built at Versailles and staged plays for him. Famous artists painted the scenery and designed elaborate costumes for the actors.
Mme. Pompadour played the leading role. Can you imagine the little outfits she had commissioned for their pet's roles in the plays!
