I'm reading a book of Maria Theresa. and it contains very interesting story.
<In 1756, she wrote for Countess Lerchenfeld, who at the time in charge of supervising Johanna & Josepha.
'I insist on their eating everything, with no fault-finding and no picking and choosing. Further, they must not be allowed to criticise their food. On Fridays, Saturdays, and all other fast-days they will eat fish.
Although Johanna in particular dislikes it, she must not be indulged. the sooner the habit is broken the better. All my children had the same aversion, and all had to overcome it......I don't like to see them eating much sugar, see that they have as little as possible.
The girls were not to be allowed to neglect their appearance. Cleanliness is to be observed most strictly. they must be properly washed and combed, every day without exception.
They must not be allowed to talk to door-keepers and stokers, or to give them orders; they are born to obey....I fear that Johanna is pig-headed, though she is clever enough in other ways. Josepha still seems to be a good child, but not so capable.
And never must they be allowed to be afraid, neither of thunder-stroms, fire, ghosts, witches, or any other nonsense. The servants must not talk about such thing or tell horror stries. Yor are not to let them be frightened of illness, so you will talk in a perfectly natural way about everything of this kind, even smallpox and death; it is all to the good to familiarise them with such thoughts in good time.
They must not be allowed to show aversion to anything, still less to anybody: no familiarity with the servants, politeness toward all, and particulary towards strangers.'
Her message to her children: even though you are surrounded by luxury and excess, you must not let your exalted status corrode your character. Royalty means responsibility, duty, unceasing and exhausting obligation; there is no room for laxity or weakness, or the self-indulgence of vice.>
