Saint-Simon
Admired by Stendhal and Marcel Proust, Saint-Simon wrote about his life in Versailles under Louis XIV. His purpose was that of a historian. Yet his style is so striking that it inspired major literary artists. Kinesic intelligence was a vital skill in Versailles, and Saint-Simon was acutely aware of all forms of nonverbal communication. He was also capable of communicating about kinesic interactions—with a sharp sense of humor. This chapter focuses on Saint-Simon’s portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Orléans, and his own intervention in the so-called Intrigue for the marriage of the Duke of Berry. In this episode, dynamic shifts, speed, and haptics (sensations interconnecting touch and kinesthesia) are a focus of attention, as they played a surprising role in Saint-Simon’s vivid experience of this historical moment.