Announcements

10 Year Anniverary & New Releases Winners: Carrie Fancett Pagels' Butterfly Cottage - Melanie B, Dogwood Plantation - Patty H R, Janet Grunst's winner is Connie S., Denise Weimer's Winner is Kay M., Naomi Musch's winner is Chappy Debbie, Angela Couch - Kathleen Maher, Pegg Thomas Beverly D. M. & Gracie Y., Christy Distler - Kailey B., Shannon McNear - Marilyn R.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Toasts Proposed during the Revolutionary War


I had a wonderful time recently at the launch for my novel, The Chamomile. Several of the guests made the following toasts that were proposed during the Revolutionary War era.
Toast 1
George Washington attended a Public Dinner at Frances Tavern on Pearl Street in New York where he would propose 13 Toasts with Hot Butter'd Rum.'
1. To the United States of America,
2. To His Most Christian Majesty Louis XVI of France;
3. To the United Netherlands;
4. To the King of Sweden;
5. To the American Army;
6. To the Fleet and Armies of France which have served in America;
7. To the memory of those heroes who have fallen for our freedom;
8. May our country be grateful to her military children;
9. May justice support what courage has gained;
10. To the indicators of the rights of mankind in every quarter of the globe,
11. May America be an asylum to the persecuted of the Earth;
12. May a close union of states guard the temple they have erected to Liberty;
13. May the remembrances of the day be a lesson to princes.
Toast 2
Here's to the four hinges of friendship --
Swearing, lying, stealing & drinking.
When you swear, swear to your country;
When you lie, lie for love;
When you steal, steal from bad company;
And when you drink, DRINK WITH ME!
Toast 3
Benjamin Franklin’s delivered a toast at Versailles while he was American emissary to France. On this occasion the toasting was led off by the British ambassador, who said, "To George the Third, who, like the sun in its meridian, spreads a luster throughout and enlightens the world." The next toast came from the French minister, who said, "To the illustrious Louis the Sixteenth, who, like the moon, sheds his mild and benevolent rays on and influences the globe."
Franklin finished the round: "To George Washington, commander of the American armies, who, like Joshua of old, commanded the sun and the moon to stand still, and both obeyed.”
Toast 4
"To the enemies of our country! May they have cobweb breeches, a porcupine saddle, a hard-trotting horse, and an eternal journey.”
Toast 5
"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." - Ben Franklin
Toast 6
To the signers of the Declaration of Independence: From this act of treason against the British Crown sprang a chart of Liberty and Emancipation broad as the universe and filled with glad tiding and a good will towards men. They who periled their lives by this noble act will live and be cherished in the hearts of free men.
Toast 7
To Authors -- The queerest of animals; their tales come out of their heads!

9 comments:

  1. Oh, love these, Susan! That clever Franklin, always having an answer to everything;) This is a marvelous post and is an example of why I love the colonial period/18th-century so much. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are great, especial Ben's. Imagine what dinner conversations must have been like with him at the table.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Laura and Lori. We had such great fun proposing these toasts -- some are inspiring, some clever, and others downright funny. But here is a heartfelt one for you and the other CACW members --May God direct your footsteps; may the Holy Spirit guide the words you write; may Jesus reign over your lives; and may you continue to fellowship with CACW members, lifting them up in prayer, sharing your knowledge with them, and encouraging them when they need it. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this group. Have a Happy, Healthy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Susan, are you using any of these tomorrow? I picked up a four pack of the fizzy apple stuff for toasts at our house!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really like the one from Ben Franklin.

    Blessing to You and Yours
    Happy New Year
    Patricia aka Mamaw

    ReplyDelete
  6. Susan Craft said ...
    Carrie, I hadn't planned on using the toast tonight, but I do like the one about cobweb breeches and the one about authors. We use the fizzy fruit stuff at our house too. Do you eat collards and black-eyes peas on New Year Day?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Heck no, Susan, I am a Yooper by birth! One of my high school friends was talking about the venison steak he was about to eat and I got pretty jealous, sigh... We are having Cornish game hens or turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, Trifle and Kentucky ribbon cake (the latter a la Costco lol!), sweet dinner rolls, and my girlfriend Narielle Living is bringing over salad.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Susan Craft said...
    Carrie, you made me look up Yooper! I didn't know what it was:-) Your menu sounds yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  9. PATRICIA, Ben Franklin was an amazing wit. My son and I just read a wonderful children's book with him as a child character in it!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting, please check back for our replies!