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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 4:20 am 
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Location: USA
In my current translation project, Arthur Chuquet's <i>Custine's Invasion of Germany: The Operations of the Army of the Rhine, August 1792 to April 1793</i>, I came across a rather embarrassing, but sharp characterization of the French. What do you think?
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Girtanner recalled the old proverb, <i>gens gallica, gens perfida</i>. He compared the modern Frenchman to the Gauls described by Horace. They were still the same overgrown children, casual, reckless, improvident, addicted to every pleasure, devouring life, incapable of enduring boredom or of sticking for long to one task, inconstant, flighty, deaf to all warnings, impulsive, prodigal, and presumptuous. A Frenchman, Girtanner wrote, is always in love with himself; he regards himself as Nature's favorite, and believes that he is custom-made to be master of the world; no-one else is so prone to say <i>a man like me</i>. From this comes his tone of self-assurance and pride, his bold assumption that he can dare anything and try anything, and his extraordinary confidence in his own powers. Now these people wanted to conquer the world, and would surely fail; but, rather than having regrets and reproaching themselves, they will shrug off their failure and sing <i>one can't predict everything</i>. Nothing moves them deeply; they take nothing seriously; to them, everything is a game and a song!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
(Shocking, simply shocking to a good German like Girtanner....but it makes being a Frenchman sound <i><b>awfully fun</b></i>!!) [:D]

<b>Général de Corps d'Armée Bill Peterson</b>
Duc de Zurich, Comte de Besançon
2ème Régiment de Grenadiers à Cheval, Cavalerie de la Vieille Garde
Commander, Ier Corps de Réserve de Cavalerie (<i>Vae Victis!</i>), AdN, NWC


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 4:36 am 
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Location: United Kingdom
I think I must have French ancestry then


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:07 am 
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Location: Charlotte NC
And more funny: if you replace Frenchman by American it will describe an American of nowadays [:D]

Maybe it reflects more on a situation than a particular country. More on a situation in the world than a particular people.

<font color="green"> <b>Général de Division David Guégan</b>
11eme division Co.
III Corps, AdN
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http://angelfire.lycos.com/games4/grande_armee/index.html</font id="green">


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:15 am 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by andy Moss</i>
<br />I think I must have French ancestry then
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Of course you do, Andy!!

Your family name comes from the french word 'mousse' like in:
<i>Pierre qui roule n'ammasse pas mousse<b><font color="red">*</font id="red"></b></i> [:D]

"Mousse" is also a french ship-boy. Your ancestor might have been on a french ship, captured by some english frigate. We all know what happened to captured crews in those days, don't we?[;)]


<b><font color="red">*</font id="red"></b><font size="2">a rolling stone gathers no moss</font id="size2">

[url="mailto:pyguinard@hotmail.com"]Lt Pierre-Yves Guinard[/url],
6e Division, II Corp
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 11:20 am 
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[:D][:D][:D]

Oberst-Lt Wilhelm Peters
2nd Kuirassiers, Austrian Army


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 11:26 am 
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Lol...that was a nice piece of history. I still respect the French and try to defend them against my anti-Franco friends. [:D] I couldn't be Commander of them in another club if I didn't.

<center>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com"]<b>GeneralMajor Scott Ludwig</b>[/url]

Kommandeur
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com/NWC/Prussia/3IFB.htm"]3. Infanterie-Brigade[/url]
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

Aide-du-Camp
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

[url="http://www.prussianarmy.com"]Preußische Armee Webmaster[/url]

Image

Herzog von Saxe-Weimar
(Duke of Saxe-Weimar)
</center>


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 11:31 am 
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by SLudwig</i>
<br />Lol...that was a nice piece of history. I still respect the French and try to defend them against my anti-Franco friends. [:D] I couldn't be Commander of them in another club if I didn't.

<center>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com"]<b>GeneralMajor Scott Ludwig</b>[/url]

Kommandeur
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com/NWC/Prussia/3IFB.htm"]3. Infanterie-Brigade[/url]
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

Aide-du-Camp
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

[url="http://www.prussianarmy.com"]Preußische Armee Webmaster[/url]

Image

Herzog von Saxe-Weimar
(Duke of Saxe-Weimar)
</center>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Anti-Franco? I have nothing against Franco, other than he was a Fascist[:o)][:D]

Colonel Phil Driscoll
12e Legere of the 7th Division
II Corps
ADN

Vive L'Empereur!


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:50 pm 
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Phil Driscoll</i>
Anti-Franco? I have nothing against Franco, other than he was a Fascist[:o)][:D]

Colonel Phil Driscoll
12e Legere of the 7th Division
II Corps
ADN

Vive L'Empereur!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Though I know you were just kidding I offer this for anyone not sure. I said Franco implying French, not Fransico Franco, term as in Franco-Prussian War.

From OED:

http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50089433?query_type=word&queryword=Franco&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id=0PeK-ESOABn-15131&result_place=1

I will get off the soapbox now!! [:o)][}:)][:I][:p]

<center>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com"]<b>GeneralMajor Scott Ludwig</b>[/url]

Kommandeur
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com/NWC/Prussia/3IFB.htm"]3. Infanterie-Brigade[/url]
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

Aide-du-Camp
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

[url="http://www.prussianarmy.com"]Preußische Armee Webmaster[/url]

Image

GrossHerzog von Saxe-Weimar
(Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar)
</center>


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:49 pm 
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by SLudwig</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Phil Driscoll</i>
Anti-Franco? I have nothing against Franco, other than he was a Fascist[:o)][:D]

Colonel Phil Driscoll
12e Legere of the 7th Division
II Corps
ADN

Vive L'Empereur!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Though I know you were just kidding I offer this for anyone not sure. I said Franco implying French, not Fransico Franco, term as in Franco-Prussian War.

From OED:

http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50089433?query_type=word&queryword=Franco&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id=0PeK-ESOABn-15131&result_place=1

I will get off the soapbox now!! [:o)][}:)][:I][:p]

<center>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com"]<b>GeneralMajor Scott Ludwig</b>[/url]

Kommandeur
[url="http://www.scott-ludwig.com/NWC/Prussia/3IFB.htm"]3. Infanterie-Brigade[/url]
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

Aide-du-Camp
I. Armee Korps
Heer am Niederrhein
Preußische Armee

[url="http://www.prussianarmy.com"]Preußische Armee Webmaster[/url]

Image

GrossHerzog von Saxe-Weimar
(Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar)
</center>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

You left out Franco-American[;)]

Colonel Phil Driscoll
12e Legere of the 7th Division
II Corps
ADN

Vive L'Empereur!


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 2:31 pm 
I didn't realize I was French! [:D]

Colonel (ret) Al Amos
1er Dragoons
AdN


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:18 pm 
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We all know what happened to captured crews in those days, don't we?


I don't want to even think about it.[:0]


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:18 am 
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Joined: Fri May 25, 2001 1:53 pm
Posts: 283
Location: United Kingdom
Great post Bill,

I have to say this fellow summed up the French character almost perfectly. These are amongst the qualities that I most admire in them, the reason they can rightfully be proud of their great nation and, naturally, why I choose to serve <i>avec les bleu</i>

If only we British could stir such an emotion in others.

Cup of tea anyone [?][xx(][xx(][xx(]

Regards

Mark
VII Corps


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:46 am 
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Location: United Kingdom
[:)][:)]
You should see them at a rrugby match[;)]

Major, 3rd Div, 2/30th Foot Regt.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:15 am 
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Posts: 93
Location: France
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Sellick Davies</i>
<br />[:)][:)]
You should see them at a rrugby match[;)]

Major, 3rd Div, 2/30th Foot Regt.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

this subject will be settled next sunday[8D]

Maréchal Guillaume AYMONIER-AMELINE
Baron d'Empire
Comte de Strasbourg

Grenadiers à Cheval
VIEILLE GARDE

1ère Brig./ 3ème Div° Cavalerie Légère
IIIeme Corps d'Armée
AdN


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:31 am 
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Location: Eboracum, Britannia
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by GC2A</i>
this subject will be settled next sunday[8D]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I hope so. Both teams were awful this last weekend and have much to prove. [:)]

<font color="gold">Major Antony Barlow
CO, 2nd British (Union) Brigade, Anglo-Allied Cavalry Corps.
Guards: 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards.</font id="gold">
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