1038 History of the French Revolution, by Thomas Carlyle (read 27 Dec 1969) This is an account of one of the most fantastic events in the history of the human race. I do not know if Carlyle's account is still good history--but it certainly has verve, Jan 21, 1793: "As the clocks strike 10, behold the Place de la Revolution . . . the Guillotine, mounted near the old Pedestal where once stood the Statue of the Louis! Far round, all bristles with cannons and armed men . . . His hands are tied, his head bare, the fatal moment is come. He advances to the edge of the Scaffold, 'his face very red,' and says "Frenchmen, I die innocent: it is from the Scaffold and near appearing before God that I tell you so. I pardon my enemies; I desire that France--'. . . The drums drown the voice . . . Abbe Edgeworth, stooping, bespeaks him: 'Son of Saint Louis, ascend to Heaven.' The Axe clanks down; a King's Life is shorn away..." ( )

Not only a literary classic, but to my taste a better popular history of the revolution than Schama's Citizens, which has an unpleasantly contemptuous attitude. Carlyle
certainly can be sarcastic, but he takes the revolution
seriously as an important event. ( )

An account of the French Revolution by the nineteenth century sage.

fantastic writing ( )

Can anyone recommend a companion or guide to this book? I'm finding it very hard to read without a fine understanding of the time period and all of the players. The prose is great, but it's so dense, and seems to assume I already know the history.