bid her beware of French principles, which had led the French to cut off their king's and queen's heads

bid her beware of French principles, which had led the French to cut off their king's and queen's heads

In Elizabeth Gaskell's works, particularly in her novel "North and South," the theme of political unrest and revolution is a prevalent one. Gaskell was writing during a time of great social and political upheaval in Europe, with the French Revolution serving as a backdrop to much of her work. The quote "bid her beware of French principles, which had led the French to cut off their king's and queen's heads" is a reflection of the fear and anxiety that many in England felt towards the revolutionary ideals that were sweeping across the continent.