Before the deluge

by Evelyn Farr

The Parisian nobility in the reign of Louis XVI is usually dismissed as a privileged, frivolous and decadent elite - a cause of revolution in France rather than a catalyst for reform. This lively, readable book draws on contemporary sources to paint a more balanced portrait of pre-revolutionary Parisian high society. Before the Deluge not only exposes the beaumonde's preoccupation with amusements, love affairs, mysteries and scandals, but also highlights its love/hate attitude towards the splendour and power of the Court of Versailles, and traces the aristocracy's active support for liberty and equality long before the words became part of a Jacobin slogan. The author also reveals the contrast between aristocratic excesses and the more sober life-styles of the French bourgeoisie and the lower classes. Attention is also focused on the marital problems of Louis XVI and his queen, Marie-Antoinette, who found herself increasingly isolated and unpopular, and the subject of fantastic stories