The Christmas Kalends of Provence

The Christmas Kalends of Provence - And Some Other Provençal Festivals

Obvious printing errors were repaired and noted by the use of a dashed underline in the text. Scrolling the mouse over such text will display the change that was made. Variation in hyphenation is as in the original. In my own case, this journey and this welcome were not fancies but realities. I had come to keep Christmas with my old friend Monsieur de Vilmur according to the tradi[4]tional Provenal rites and ceremonies in his own entirely Provenal home: an ancient dwelling which stands high up on the westward slope of the Alpilles, overlooking Arles and Tarascon and within sight of Avignon, near the Rhne margin of Provence. The Vidamesuch is Monsieur de Vilmur's ancient title: dating from the vigorous days when every proper bishop, himself not averse to taking a breather with sword and battle-axe should fighting matters become serious, had his vice dominus to lead his forces in the fieldis an old-school country gentleman who is amiably at odds with modern times. While tolerant of those who have yielded to the new order, he himself is a great stickler for the preservation of antique forms and ceremonies: sometimes, indeed, pushing his fancies to lengths that fairly would lay him open to the charge of whimsicality, were not even the most extravagant of his crotchets touched and mellowed by his natural goodness of heart. In the earlier stages of our acquaintance I was disposed to regard him as an eccentric; but a wider knowledge of Provenal matters[5] has convinced me that he is a type. Under his genial guidance it has been my privilege to see much of the inner life of the Provenaux, and his explanations have enabled me to understand what I have seen: the Vidame being of an antiquarian and bookish temper, and never better pleased than when I set him to rummaging in his memory or his library for the information which I require to make clear to me some curious phase of Provenal manners or ways. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 19587
Author: Janvier, Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone)
Release Date: Oct 19, 2006
Format: eBook
Language: English