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。 。 Judging by what my neighbors tell me the inhabitants have
diminished one…third。 。 。 。 The daily laborers are all leaving and
taking refuge in the small towns。 In many villages everybody leaves。 I
have several parishes in which the taille for three years is due； the
proceedings for its collection always going on。 。 。 。 The receivers of
the taille and of the taxes add one…half each year in expenses above
the tax。 。 。 。 An assessor； on coming to the village where I have my
country…house； states that the taille this year will be much
increased； he noticed that the peasants here were fatter than
elsewhere； that they had chicken feathers before their doors； and that
the living here must be good； everybody doing well； etc。 … This is
the cause of the peasant's discouragement； and likewise the cause of
misfortune throughout the kingdom。〃 … 〃In the country where I am
staying I hear that marriage is declining and that the population is
decreasing on all sides。 In my parish； with a few fire…sides； there
are more than thirty single persons； male and female； old enough to
marry and none of them considering it。 On being urged to marry they
all reply alike that it is not worth while to bring unfortunate beings
like themselves into the world。 I have myself tried to induce some of
the women to marry by offering them assistance； but they all reason in
this way as if they had consulted together。〃＇9＇ … 〃One of my curates
sends me word that； although he is the oldest in the province of
Touraine； and has seen many things； including excessively high prices
for wheat； he remembers no misery so great as that of this year； even
in 1709。 。 。 。 Some of the seigniors of Touraine inform me that； being
desirous of setting the inhabitants to work by the day； they found
very few of them； and these so weak that they were unable to use their
hands。〃
Those who are able to leave； go。
〃A person from Languedoc tells me of vast numbers of peasants
deserting that province and taking refuge in Piedmont； Savoy； and
Spain； tormented and frightened by the measures resorted to in
collecting tithes。 。 。 。 The extortioners sell everything and imprison
everybody as if prisoners of war； and even with more avidity and
malice； in order to gain something themselves。〃 … 〃I met an
intendant of one of the finest provinces in the kingdom； who told me
that no more farmers could be found there； that parents preferred to
send their children to the towns； that living in the surrounding
country was daily becoming more horrible to the inhabitants。 。 。 。 A
man； well…informed in financial matters； told me that over two hundred
families in Normandy had left this year； fearing the collections in
their villages。〃 … At Paris； 〃the streets swarm with beggars。 One
cannot stop before a door without a dozen mendicants besetting him
with their importunities。 They are said to be people from the country
who； unable to endure the persecutions they have to undergo； take
refuge in the cities 。 。 。 preferring begging to labor。〃 … And yet
the people of the cities are not much better off。 〃An officer of a
company in garrison at Mezieres tells me that the poverty of that
place is so great that； after the officers had dined in the inns； the
people rush in and pillage the remnants。〃 … 〃There are more than
12；000 begging workmen in Rouen； quite as many in Tours； etc。 More
than 20；000 of these workmen are estimated as having left the kingdom
in three months for Spain； Germany； etc。 At Lyons 20；000 workers in
silk are watched and kept in sight for fear of their going abroad。〃 At
Rouen；＇10＇ and in Normandy； 〃those in easy circumstances find it
difficult to get bread； the bulk of the people being entirely without
it； and； to ward off starvation； providing themselves with food
otherwise repulsive to human beings。〃 … 〃Even at Paris；〃 writes
d'Argenson；＇11＇ 〃I learn that on the day M。 le Dauphin and Mme。 la
Dauphine went to Notre Dame； on passing the bridge of the Tournelle；
more than 2；000 women assembled in that quarter crying out； 'Give us
bread； or we shall die of hunger。' 。 。 。 A vicar of the parish of
Saint…Marguerite affirms that over eight hundred persons died in the
Faubourg St。 Antoine between January 20th and February 20th； that the
poor expire with cold and hunger in their garrets； and that the
priests； arriving too late； see them expire without any possible
relief。〃
Were I to enumerate the riots； the sedition of the famished； and
the pillaging of storehouses； I should never end； these are the
convulsive twitching of exhaustion； the people have fasted as long as
possible； and instinct； at last； rebels。 In 1747；＇12＇ 〃extensive
bread…riots occur in Toulouse； and in Guyenne they take place on every
market…day。〃 In 1750； from 6 to 7；000 men gather in Bearn behind a
river to resist the clerks； two companies of the Artois regiment fire
on the rebels and kill a dozen of them。 In 1752； a sedition at Rouen
and in its neighborhood lasts three days； in Dauphiny and in Auvergne
riotous villagers force open the grain warehouses and take away wheat
at their own price； the same year； at Arles； 2；000 armed peasants
demand bread at the town…hall and are dispersed by the soldiers。 In
one province alone； that of Normandy； I find insurrections in 1725； in
1737； in 1739； in 1752； in 1764； 1765； 1766； 1767 and I768；＇13＇ and
always on account of bread。
〃Entire hamlets；〃 writes the Parliament； 〃being without the
necessities of life； hunger compels them to resort to the food of
brutes。 。 。 。 Two days more and Rouen will be without provisions；
without grain； without bread。〃
Accordingly； the last riot is terrible； on this occasion； the
populace； again masters of the town for three days； pillage the public
granaries and the stores of all the communities。 … Up to the last
and even later； in 1770 at Rheims； in 1775 at Dijon； at Versailles； at
St。 Germain； at Pontoise and at Paris； in 1772 at Poitiers； in 1785 at
Aix in Provence； in 1788 and 1789 in Paris and throughout France；
similar eruptions are visible。＇14＇ … Undoubtedly the government
under Louis XVI is milder； the intendants are more humane； the
administration is less rigid； the taille becomes less unequal； and the
corvée is less onerous through its transformation； in short； misery
has diminished； and yet this is greater than human nature can bear。
Examine administrative correspondence for the last thirty years
preceding the Revolution。 Countless statements reveal excessive
suffering； even when not terminating in fury。 Life to a man of the
lower class； to an artisan； or workman； subsisting on the labor of his
own hands； is evidently precarious； he obtains simply enough to keep
him from starvation and he does not always get that＇15＇。 Here； in four
districts； 〃the inhabitants live only on buckwheat；〃 and for five
years； the apple crop having failed； they drink only water。 There； in
a country of vine…yards；＇16＇ 〃the wine…growers each year are reduced；
for the most part； to begging their bread during the dull season。〃
Elsewhere； several of the day…laborers and mechanics； obliged to sell
their effects and household goods； die of the cold； insufficient and
unhealthy food generates sickness； while； in two districts； 35；000
persons are stated to be living on alms＇17＇。 In a remote canton the
peasants cut the grain still green and dry it in the oven； because
they are too hungry to wait。 The intendant of Poitiers writes that 〃as
soon as the workhouses open； a prodigious number of the poor rush to
them； in spite of the reduction of wages and of the restrictions
imposed on them in behalf of the most needy。〃 The intendant of Bourges
notices that a great many tenant farmers have sold off their
furniture； and that 〃entire families pass two days without eating；〃
and that in many parishes the famished stay in bed most of the day
because they suffer less。 The intendant of Orleans reports that 〃in
Sologne； poor widows have burned up their wooden bedsteads and others
have consumed their fruit trees；〃 to preserve themselves from the
cold； and he adds； 〃nothing is exaggerated in this statement； the
cries of want cannot be expressed； the misery of the rural districts
must be seen with one's own eyes to obtain an idea of it。〃 From Rioni；
from La Rochelle； from Limoges； from Lyons； from Montauban； from Caen；
from Alen？on； from Flanders； from Moulins come similar statements by
other intendants。 One might call it the interruptions and repetitions
of a funeral knell； even in years not disastrous it is heard on all
sides。 In Burgundy； near Chatillon…sur…Seine；
〃taxes； seigniorial dues； the tithes； and the expenses of
cultivation； split up the productions of the soil into thirds； leaving
nothing for the unfortunate cultivators； who would have abandoned
their fields； had not two Swiss manufacturers of calicoes settl