Salonkultur der Aufklärung

"Every man who believes that his honour depends upon that of his wife is a fool who torments himself, and drives her to despair; but he who, being naturally jealous, has the additional misfortune of loving his wife, and who expects that she should only live for him; is a perfect madman, whom the torments of hell have actually taken hold of in this world, and whom nobody pities." Anthony Hamilton: "The Memoirs of Count Grammont" (1713) Dieser herrlich zynische Satz von Count Anthony Hamilton wäre zwar nicht weniger hart, aber gar nicht so unzutreffend, wenn "naturally" gestrichen und "misfortune" durch "good fortune" ersetzt wäre. Aufgeschnappt bei einer Lektürereise von Montaignes "Essais" zur Salon-Kultur des Ancien Regime.
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