Tess of the Road - Rachel Hartman

“Her head nested in spindly weeds; beyond them the sky glowed preternaturally blue through the slats. As her chewing slowed, she noticed a bee crawling along a blade of grass above her head. She counted its stripes, amazed to see them juxtaposed with the stripes of sky. The bees were a warning, the sky’s a promise she could not yet fathom, and for a moment everything seemed connected, aching beauty and imminent danger, the fragility of the bee and the scalded roof of her mouth, the transcendent savor of bread and the fact that she was literally lying in a ditch.”

Tess Dombegh is a problem child, the bad twin and a troublemaker. At least, that’s what her family would have you believe. When in truth she’s felt overlooked in favour of her “prettier, kinder” twin and her older half-dragon sister, endured years of verbal abuse from her mother and was assaulted by someone she trusted. Suffocated under the weight of familial expectations and forced to accept a role she doesn’t want, Tess leaves home on the hunt for purpose and adventure.

The story is decidedly mature with adult themes and situations and though it’s the third book in the series, readers don’t need to start from the beginning to understand the story. The world Hartman has built is full and populated with a plethora of complex characters and memorable personalities. We’re also introduced to a number of areas due to the distance Tess travels. This is all held together by rich description and vivid imagery that bring the kingdom of Goredd and its people to life.

Tess is a flawed character and a refreshing change from the stereotype of a perfect protagonist. She’s stubborn, has a temper and holds a grudge. Over the course of the story we witness her grow and change in relation to her circumstances and the people surrounding her. And thanks to length of the book, her character development felt organic and realistic.

One thing that would have made the story more comprehensive was a map. Without one it made picturing Tess’ journey difficult. As well there were some spots where scenes felt compressed or skipped over, such as at the monastery. Expanding these scenes would have allowed for more character interaction as these settings sometimes felt rushed through.

If you’re looking for an engaging story set in a world populated by magic, dragons and legends I would highly recommend you try this series.   

The Wounds of God - Penelope Wilcock

This book was received for free from LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers in return for a review.

He saw the expression on Father Matthew’s face as Theodore stumbled over his broken sandal strap, shot out his hand to save himself, and dropped the jug he was carrying. It was smashing into tinkling fragments on the stone, in a puddle of warm fizzing beer that splashed my lady’s elegant gown and my lord’s embroidered shoes. There was a moment in which the universe stopped to allow for Brother Theodore’s mind to reel is dismay, Father Matthew’s expression to change from mere resentment to red-hot rage, and my lady to step back with a little, affected ‘Oh!’ of alarm.

Father Peregrine’s story continues in the second book of the Hawk and Dove series where he faces a variety of new challenges, filled with new and familiar characters that reveal the humanity and divinity present within the life of a monastery. This is interspliced with the story of a modern day family with each section relating to a parable within the Peregrine sections.

Wilcock has a soft way of writing, with diction that gives a warm, comfortable feel to the story. This, coupled with a variety of rounded characters that aren’t all likeable, creates a richness in each vignette. Thankfully this book can serve as a standalone, allowing readers to jump in at any point in the series. Thanks to Wilcock’s references to earlier events, it’s not necessary to have read the first book in the Hawk and Dove series to understand characters or setting.

One concern was the form. This book would have been better served if it had only focused on Father Peregrine. Every time the story switches back to present day, it loses tension being less interesting than the adventures of Peregrine. Currently they interrupt the narrative flow and pull the reader out of the story. The message of the vignettes are obvious enough that nothing would have been lost if these sections were eliminated.

Ultimately the best parts of the book are the scenes with Father Peregrine. While the world is populated with unique characters and personalities, it’s Peregrine that we identify with the most. He is the most interesting of all the monks with his struggle with his own body and how he interacts with the world and the people around him. Again and again he must use his sharp mind rather than a strong body to defend himself and navigate the world. If you’re interested in watching a man outsmart others on brainpower alone and spread compassion wherever he can, check out this book. 

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye - Tania del Rio

I received this book as a giveaway through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program.

Warren the 13^th has lived in his family’s hotel his entire life. Run by his lazy uncle, the building has fallen into disrepair and hasn’t seen a visitor in five years. Apart from trying to keep the place together, Warren is also busy thwarting his new aunt from her obsessive search for a legendary family heirloom, the All-Seeing Eye. One day after cleaning up after her destructive behaviour, a stranger wrapped in bandages checks in. From that moment on his life will never be the same again.

The gothic art style is reminiscent of Edward Gorey and the illustrations not only helped set the mood but were also essential in the telling of the story. Every chapter has a title page with gorgeous typography and artwork that hint at what’s to come next. There’s also a secret message hidden throughout the book that spells out where Warren’s going next. This fit in with the mystery in the book as well as the graphical info in the illustrations.

This story is filled with a variety of quirky characters that lean towards the fantastical. There’s a witch who’s missing her voice, a pirate who only comes ashore every ten years or so, a creature who speaks in whistles and more. With each though we only get a taste of their background along with an illustration, leaving the readers wanting more. Part of the reason is the pace of the story. It moves so quickly that readers don’t spend much time with anyone apart from Warren. There could easily have been another hundred pages added onto the book to flesh out people and places.

Clearly this is only the beginning of Warren’s story as the ending was left open with several plot threads unresolved. It will be interesting to see where he goes next. 

Bobcat and Other Stories - Rebecca Lee

“As I walked home, I turned back and saw through the trees again that window, ringing with clarity and light above the dark grounds, the way the imagination shines above the dark world, as inaccessible as love, even as it casts its light all around.”

Bobcat and Other Stories is a collection of seven short stories. There is a softness to Lee’s writing and a melancholy that hangs over the book. The stories themselves give the impression that there is a before and after to each world, with the text nestled in between.  It speaks to the skill of the author that Lee was able to populate worlds that are larger on the inside. The reader only dips in for a short moment in the lives of the characters but details in description and dialogue create the idea that events will continue to unfold long after the story is over. The endings however all have a truncated feel to them and rather than creating a desire for more content, it left me with the idea that they were incomplete or rushed.

Also the unity of voice throughout the stories was appreciated because they helped to create a cohesiveness to the book overall. But this also meant there was a tedious repetition to the protagonists in each story to the point where it was difficult to distinguish between them. It created the question of whether the stories were in some way connected as each was told through a first person perspective with themes of deception, acadaemia, familial discord and writing. It appeared to be too much of a coincidence to keep finding similar ideas throughout each story but perhaps that was the reason for them to be collected together in this manner. Instead the only variance appeared to be in length of story. A wide array of characters and plots would have done more to showcase Lee’s range and abilities.  

This would be a great option for a rainy day coffee read if you’re looking for some light and short reading. 

The Sword of Shannara - Terry Brooks

Herein lies the heart and the soul of the nations, their right to be free men, their desire to live in peace, their courage to seek out the truth. Herein lies the Sword of Shannara.

Shea Ohmsford doesn’t know it yet but he’s the most important person in the world. As the last descendant of Jerle Shannara he’s the only person capable of wielding the Sword of Shannara, an ancient weapon that can destroy the Warlock Lord. Unfortunately this makes him a target, forcing him to flee home and confront his destiny.

It will be obvious to anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings that this is close to a carbon copy for the first few hundred pages. Shea is joined by a disparate group of heroes consisting of humans, elves, a wizard and a dwarf and it’s easy to recognize their parallel counterparts in LOTR. Allanon is clearly a Gandalf remix as Balinor is for Aragorn. Palance is a mix of Denethor and Theoden, Stenmin is Wormtongue, Orl Fane is Gollum. Shea and Flick Ohmsford are Frodo and Sam, Menion is Legolas, Hendel is Gimli, etc.  As well there are various plot points that are similar as well. There’s a chosen one, a reluctant hero, a fake death, a dangerous lair and a magical device capable of defeating pure evil.

But while Tolkien clearly inspired aspects of plot and character, Brooks does put his own personal spin on the story. There are a variety of settings accompanied by good description that creates solid imagery for the reader. As well, the backstory for this world is only hinted at but is enough to understand a cataclysm befell Earth thousands of years ago and shows that previous decisions are responsible for current events.

The story is fast-paced and keeps the reader on their toes as circumstances can change within the space of a paragraph. That said at times it’s at the expense of character growth. Menion seemingly falls in love in the space of several days and there’s no reunion scene with Flick, Allanon and Eventine after the elf king’s rescue which could possibly have been a great scene. Several times throughout the story the plot will leapfrog over what appear to be great setups for dialogue or exposition that could further the plot. These missed opportunities are a shame considering how many characters Brooks has that require good progression and development. 

The Annotated Les Miserables: Weeks 6 & 7

Last year I tried to complete "Les Miserables" as part of a year-long read. I had barely started the book before life got in the way and I wasn't able to finish the story. This year I am determined to get through the entire thing. Here is the post I made at the beginning of my read and here is the one for Weeks 4 & 5. Below are notes to catalogue my read. At the moment it's mostly diction and events and persons I'm unfamiliar with. As I read further I hope to make posts filled with questions and insights into characters and plot points. Do not read this if you don't want the book to be spoiled.

Start from the Beginning

Weeks 8 and 9

Frans Hals circa 1649-1700

Rene Descartes - (1596–1650) He was a French philosopher, mathematician, and writer, dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy'.  Much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day.

Author unknown 1665

Baruch Spinoza - (1632-1677) He was a philosopher whose importance was not fully realized until years after his death. By laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism including modern conceptions of the self and, arguably, the universe, he came to be considered one of the great rationalists of 17th century philosophy. His magnum opus, the posthumous "Ethics" in which he opposed Descarte's mind-body dualism, has earned him recognition as one of Western philosophy's most important thinkers.

Etching after portrait - de Reisner 1810

Etching after portrait - de Reisner 1810

Marc-Antoine Madeleine Desaugiers - (1772-1827) He was a French composer, dramatist and song-writer.

















Syllogism - A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion. Ex. "No foxes are birds" "All parrots are birds" "No parrots are foxes"

Madeira wine - A fortified Portugese wine made in the Madeira islands. It's produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own as an apertif, to sweet wines more usually consumed with dessert. 

Hetaera - An ancient Greek courtesan or concubine, especially one of a special class of cultivated female companions

Artist unknown

Apuleius - (125-180) He was a Latine prose writer who studied Platonist philosophy in Athens. Once he was accused of using magic to gain the attentions of a wealthy widow. He distributed a work he wrote in his own defense known as the Apologia.















Solomon - Also called jedidah. He was a walthy and wise king of Israel and a son of David. He is credited as the builder of the first Temple in Jerusalem. He is portrayed as wise but human and who sinned, turning away from Yahweh.

Amor omnibus idem - Love them all

Artist unknown

Aspasia - (470BCE-400BCE) A Milesian woman famous for her involvement with the Athenian statesman Pericles. Little is known about her life but she may have influenced Pericles and Athenian politics. She is mentioned in the writings of Plato, Aristophanes and Xenophon.

Copy of Ktesilas Artist unknown

Pericles -  (495BCE-429BCE) He was the most prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator and general of Athens during the Golden Age - specifically the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.

A bust of Socrates in Louvre

Socrates - (470BCE-399BCE) A Classical Greek philosopher credited as a founder of Western philosophy. Socrates left none of his own writings as know about his mostly because of Plato's dialogues. He was put on trial and charged with corrupting the youth of Athens as well as impiety against the pantheon of Athens. HE was found guilty and drank hemlock and died. 












Manon Lescaut - An opera in fourt acts by Giacomo Puccini. The story is based on a novel by the Abbe Prevost.

Prometheus - A Titan from Greek Mythology, known as the deity who was the creator of mankind and its greatest benefactor. He stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to mankind. As a result he was punished by Zeus and chained to a mountain. Every day an eagle at his liver and every night it grew back. 

Goliath - A giant Philistine warrior defeated by David, the future king of Israel.

Polyphemus - A Cyclops from the "Odyssey". The son of Poseidon and Thoosa. He was a man-eater and starts devouring Odysseus' men. They sneak out with the sheep and Odysseus blinds him by outsmarting him.

The Chandos Portrait authenticity unconfirmed

William Shakespeare - (1564-1616) A poet, playwright and actor, often considered the greatest writer in the enlish language. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 long narrative poems. 
















Caliban - One of the main protagonists in William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" He was the son of the witch Sycorax. 

Fustian - A coarse sturdy cloth made of cotton and flax

Blackguardism - A foul-mouthed person; a scoundrel, a thoroughly unprincipled person.

Mademoiselle de Scuderi - A novella first published in 1819. Written by ETA Hoffman and is regarded as one of his best. It was an immediate commercial and critical success. This was mostly due to the suspenseful plot and interesting descriptions of life, places and people. 

"Pamela" or "Virtue Rewarded" - An epistolary novel (novel composed of a series of letteers) written by Samuel Richardson, first published in 1740. It tells the story of a beautiful 15-year old maidservant named Pamela Andrews, whose nobleman master, Mr. B, makes unwanted advances towards her after the death of his mother, whose maid she was since age 12.

Harridans - Stereotype of an unpleasant, belligerent, bossy woman. Synonymous with shrew. 

Physiognomist - A person who judges human character based on facial features. Divination based on facial features. 

Duke of Otranto, Joseph Fouche

Duke of Otranto - (1759-1820) Joseph Fouche was the first Duke of this line. It was a hereditary title in the nobility of the First French Empire. It was bestowed in 1808 by Napoleon upon statesman and Minister of Police, Joseph Fouche. 








Legion d'honneur - The highest French order for military and civil merits, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer, Grand Cross. 

Grand Cross - The highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes they are referred to as "Commanders Grand Cross", "Nights Grand Cross", or just "Grand Crosses". 

Recondite - Little known or secret

Vetch - Any of several climbing plants of the legume family, bearing pealike flowers, esp. Vicia sativa, cultivated for forage and soil improvement

Barbary - A region of northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and the Atlantic Ocean. Settled by Berbers in the 2nd millennium, it was conquered by Arabs in the 7th century.  From the 16-19th c it was used as a base by pirates who raided ships in the Mediterranean and exacted tribute from the Ruopean powers trading in the area. 

"The supreme happiness in life is the assurance of being loved; of being loved for oneself , even in spite of oneself."

"Soul gropes for soul and finds it." 

"One would not exchange one's darkness for all light."

"We are radiant in our darkness." 

Faubourg - A district lying outside the original city limits of  French-speaking city of a city with French heritage. 

Savogards - A native of Savoy.

Calumny - A false statement maliciously made to injure another's reputation; slander; the utterance of maliciously false statements. 

"Animals are nothing but the portrayal of our virtues and vices made manifest to our eyes, the visible reflections of our souls."

Educable - capable of being educated or taught.

Garde Champetre - A garde champêtre (rural guard) is the combination of a forest ranger, game warden and police officer in certain rural communes in France. Their job is to report to the local mayor. Many of these officers wear green uniforms and many carry firearms. They fall under the general supervision of the Gendarmerie.

Marble bust in National Museum of Rome

Marcus Junius Brutus - (85BCE?-42BCE) Roman statesman who, with Cassius, led the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar in 44BCE. He committed suicide after being defeated by Antony and Octavian at Philippi 42BCE.

By Achille Deveria 19thC

Eugene Francois Vidocq - (1775-1857) He was a French criminal and criminalist whose life story inspired several writers, including Victor Hugo and Honore de Balzac.  The former criminal became the founder and first director of the crime-detection Surete Nationale as well as the head of the first known private detective agendy.  Vidocq is considered to be the father of modern criminology and of the French police department. He is also regarded as the first private detective Vautrin.

By Karl Vogel Von Vogelstein ca1810

Joseph de Maistre - (1753-1821) He was a Savoyard philosopher, writer, diplomat and lawyer.  He defended hierarchichal societies and a monarchical state in the period immediately following the French Revolution. He called for the restoration of the Bourbons to the throne of France and argued that the Pope should have ultimate authority in temporal matters. He also claimed that the rationalist rejection of Christianity was directly responsible for the disorder and bloodshed which followed the French Revolution of 1789.









Cosmogony - Any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence (or origin) of either the cosmos (or universe), or the so-called "reality" of sentient beings

Gens Sans Aveu - Vagabonds

Law-Scrivener - A person who writes a document for another, usually for a fee

Louis d'or - The Louis d'or is any number of French coins first introduced by Louis XIII n 1640. The name derives from the depiction of the portrait of King Louis on one side of the coin; the French royal coat of arms is on the reverse. The coin was replaced by the French franc at the time of the revolution and later the similarly-valued Napoleon, although a limited number of Louis were also minted during the "Bourbon Restoration" under Louis XVIII.

"No one is more avidly curious about other people's doings than those persons whom they do not concern."

Fiacre - A small hackney coach

"An old woman who lived in the house taught her the art of living in penury. There are two stages - living on little, and living on nothing. They are like two rooms, the first dark, the second pitch-black."

"Winter! No warmth, no light, no midday morning merging into evening, fog, twilight and nohting to be clearly seen through the misted window. The sky had become a grating, the day a cellar, the sun a poor man at the door." 

Miliary - Accompanied by papules or vesicles resembling millet seeds.  

"Paupers cannot reach the end of their abode, or of their destiny, except by crouching ever lower."

The Annotated Les Miserables: Weeks 6 & 7

Last year I tried to complete "Les Miserables" as part of a year-long read. I had barely started the book before life got in the way and I wasn't able to finish the story. This year I am determined to get through the entire thing. Here is the post I made at the beginning of my read and here is the one for Weeks 4 & 5. Below are notes to catalogue my read. At the moment it's mostly diction and events and persons I'm unfamiliar with. As I read further I hope to make posts filled with questions and insights into characters and plot points. Do not read this if you don't want the book to be spoiled.

Start from the Beginning

Weeks 8 and 9

Frans Hals circa 1649-1700

Rene Descartes - (1596–1650) He was a French philosopher, mathematician, and writer, dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy'.  Much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day.

Author unknown 1665

Baruch Spinoza - (1632-1677) He was a philosopher whose importance was not fully realized until years after his death. By laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism including modern conceptions of the self and, arguably, the universe, he came to be considered one of the great rationalists of 17th century philosophy. His magnum opus, the posthumous "Ethics" in which he opposed Descarte's mind-body dualism, has earned him recognition as one of Western philosophy's most important thinkers.

Etching after portrait - de Reisner 1810

Etching after portrait - de Reisner 1810

Marc-Antoine Madeleine Desaugiers - (1772-1827) He was a French composer, dramatist and song-writer.

















Syllogism - A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion. Ex. "No foxes are birds" "All parrots are birds" "No parrots are foxes"

Madeira wine - A fortified Portugese wine made in the Madeira islands. It's produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own as an apertif, to sweet wines more usually consumed with dessert. 

Hetaera - An ancient Greek courtesan or concubine, especially one of a special class of cultivated female companions

Artist unknown

Apuleius - (125-180) He was a Latine prose writer who studied Platonist philosophy in Athens. Once he was accused of using magic to gain the attentions of a wealthy widow. He distributed a work he wrote in his own defense known as the Apologia.















Solomon - Also called jedidah. He was a walthy and wise king of Israel and a son of David. He is credited as the builder of the first Temple in Jerusalem. He is portrayed as wise but human and who sinned, turning away from Yahweh.

Amor omnibus idem - Love them all

Artist unknown

Aspasia - (470BCE-400BCE) A Milesian woman famous for her involvement with the Athenian statesman Pericles. Little is known about her life but she may have influenced Pericles and Athenian politics. She is mentioned in the writings of Plato, Aristophanes and Xenophon.

Copy of Ktesilas Artist unknown

Pericles -  (495BCE-429BCE) He was the most prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator and general of Athens during the Golden Age - specifically the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.

A bust of Socrates in Louvre

Socrates - (470BCE-399BCE) A Classical Greek philosopher credited as a founder of Western philosophy. Socrates left none of his own writings as know about his mostly because of Plato's dialogues. He was put on trial and charged with corrupting the youth of Athens as well as impiety against the pantheon of Athens. HE was found guilty and drank hemlock and died. 












Manon Lescaut - An opera in fourt acts by Giacomo Puccini. The story is based on a novel by the Abbe Prevost.

Prometheus - A Titan from Greek Mythology, known as the deity who was the creator of mankind and its greatest benefactor. He stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to mankind. As a result he was punished by Zeus and chained to a mountain. Every day an eagle at his liver and every night it grew back. 

Goliath - A giant Philistine warrior defeated by David, the future king of Israel.

Polyphemus - A Cyclops from the "Odyssey". The son of Poseidon and Thoosa. He was a man-eater and starts devouring Odysseus' men. They sneak out with the sheep and Odysseus blinds him by outsmarting him.

The Chandos Portrait authenticity unconfirmed

William Shakespeare - (1564-1616) A poet, playwright and actor, often considered the greatest writer in the enlish language. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 long narrative poems. 
















Caliban - One of the main protagonists in William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" He was the son of the witch Sycorax. 

Fustian - A coarse sturdy cloth made of cotton and flax

Blackguardism - A foul-mouthed person; a scoundrel, a thoroughly unprincipled person.

Mademoiselle de Scuderi - A novella first published in 1819. Written by ETA Hoffman and is regarded as one of his best. It was an immediate commercial and critical success. This was mostly due to the suspenseful plot and interesting descriptions of life, places and people. 

"Pamela" or "Virtue Rewarded" - An epistolary novel (novel composed of a series of letteers) written by Samuel Richardson, first published in 1740. It tells the story of a beautiful 15-year old maidservant named Pamela Andrews, whose nobleman master, Mr. B, makes unwanted advances towards her after the death of his mother, whose maid she was since age 12.

Harridans - Stereotype of an unpleasant, belligerent, bossy woman. Synonymous with shrew. 

Physiognomist - A person who judges human character based on facial features. Divination based on facial features. 

Duke of Otranto, Joseph Fouche

Duke of Otranto - (1759-1820) Joseph Fouche was the first Duke of this line. It was a hereditary title in the nobility of the First French Empire. It was bestowed in 1808 by Napoleon upon statesman and Minister of Police, Joseph Fouche. 








Legion d'honneur - The highest French order for military and civil merits, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer, Grand Cross. 

Grand Cross - The highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes they are referred to as "Commanders Grand Cross", "Nights Grand Cross", or just "Grand Crosses". 

Recondite - Little known or secret

Vetch - Any of several climbing plants of the legume family, bearing pealike flowers, esp. Vicia sativa, cultivated for forage and soil improvement

Barbary - A region of northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and the Atlantic Ocean. Settled by Berbers in the 2nd millennium, it was conquered by Arabs in the 7th century.  From the 16-19th c it was used as a base by pirates who raided ships in the Mediterranean and exacted tribute from the Ruopean powers trading in the area. 

"The supreme happiness in life is the assurance of being loved; of being loved for oneself , even in spite of oneself."

"Soul gropes for soul and finds it." 

"One would not exchange one's darkness for all light."

"We are radiant in our darkness." 

Faubourg - A district lying outside the original city limits of  French-speaking city of a city with French heritage. 

Savogards - A native of Savoy.

Calumny - A false statement maliciously made to injure another's reputation; slander; the utterance of maliciously false statements. 

"Animals are nothing but the portrayal of our virtues and vices made manifest to our eyes, the visible reflections of our souls."

Educable - capable of being educated or taught.

Garde Champetre - A garde champêtre (rural guard) is the combination of a forest ranger, game warden and police officer in certain rural communes in France. Their job is to report to the local mayor. Many of these officers wear green uniforms and many carry firearms. They fall under the general supervision of the Gendarmerie.

Marble bust in National Museum of Rome

Marcus Junius Brutus - (85BCE?-42BCE) Roman statesman who, with Cassius, led the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar in 44BCE. He committed suicide after being defeated by Antony and Octavian at Philippi 42BCE.

By Achille Deveria 19thC

Eugene Francois Vidocq - (1775-1857) He was a French criminal and criminalist whose life story inspired several writers, including Victor Hugo and Honore de Balzac.  The former criminal became the founder and first director of the crime-detection Surete Nationale as well as the head of the first known private detective agendy.  Vidocq is considered to be the father of modern criminology and of the French police department. He is also regarded as the first private detective Vautrin.

By Karl Vogel Von Vogelstein ca1810

Joseph de Maistre - (1753-1821) He was a Savoyard philosopher, writer, diplomat and lawyer.  He defended hierarchichal societies and a monarchical state in the period immediately following the French Revolution. He called for the restoration of the Bourbons to the throne of France and argued that the Pope should have ultimate authority in temporal matters. He also claimed that the rationalist rejection of Christianity was directly responsible for the disorder and bloodshed which followed the French Revolution of 1789.









Cosmogony - Any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence (or origin) of either the cosmos (or universe), or the so-called "reality" of sentient beings

Gens Sans Aveu - Vagabonds

Law-Scrivener - A person who writes a document for another, usually for a fee

Louis d'or - The Louis d'or is any number of French coins first introduced by Louis XIII n 1640. The name derives from the depiction of the portrait of King Louis on one side of the coin; the French royal coat of arms is on the reverse. The coin was replaced by the French franc at the time of the revolution and later the similarly-valued Napoleon, although a limited number of Louis were also minted during the "Bourbon Restoration" under Louis XVIII.

"No one is more avidly curious about other people's doings than those persons whom they do not concern."

Fiacre - A small hackney coach

"An old woman who lived in the house taught her the art of living in penury. There are two stages - living on little, and living on nothing. They are like two rooms, the first dark, the second pitch-black."

"Winter! No warmth, no light, no midday morning merging into evening, fog, twilight and nohting to be clearly seen through the misted window. The sky had become a grating, the day a cellar, the sun a poor man at the door." 

Miliary - Accompanied by papules or vesicles resembling millet seeds.  

"Paupers cannot reach the end of their abode, or of their destiny, except by crouching ever lower."