按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nothing for the unfortunate cultivators； who would have abandoned
their fields； had not two Swiss manufacturers of calicoes settled
there and distributed about the country 40；000 francs a year in
cash。〃＇18＇
In Auvergne； the country is depopulated daily； many of the
villages have lost； since the beginning of the century； more than one…
third of their inhabitants＇19＇。
〃Had not steps been promptly taken to lighten the burden of a
down…trodden people；〃 says the provincial assembly in 1787； 〃Auvergne
would have forever lost its population and its cultivation。〃
In Comminges； at the outbreak of the Revolution； certain
communities threaten to abandon their possessions； should they obtain
no relief＇20＇。
〃It is a well…known fact；〃 says the assembly of Haute…Guyenne； in
1784；〃 that the lot of the most severely taxed communities is so
rigorous as to have led their proprietors frequently to abandon their
property＇21＇。 Who is not aware of the inhabitants of Saint…Servin
having abandoned their property ten times； and of their threats to
resort again to this painful proceeding in their recourse to the
administration？ Only a few years ago an abandonment of the community
of Boisse took place through the combined action of the inhabitants；
the seignior and the décimateur of that community；〃 and the desertion
would be still greater if the law did not forbid persons liable to the
taille abandoning over…taxed property； except by renouncing whatever
they possessed in the community。 In the Soissonais； according to the
report of the provincial assembly；＇22＇ 〃misery is excessive。〃 In
Gascony the spectacle is 〃heartrending。〃 In the environs of Toul； the
cultivator； after paying his taxes； tithes and other dues； remains
empty…handed。
〃Agriculture is an occupation of steady anxiety and privation； in
which thousands of men are obliged to painfully vegetate。〃＇23＇ In a
village in Normandy； 〃nearly all the inhabitants； not excepting the
farmers and proprietors； eat barley bread and drink water； living like
the most wretched of men； so as to provide for the payment of the
taxes with which they are overburdened。〃 In the same province； at
Forges； 〃many poor creatures eat oat bread； and others bread of soaked
bran； this nourishment causing many deaths among infants。〃＇24＇ People
evidently live from day to day； whenever the crop proves poor they
lack bread。 Let a frost come； a hailstorm； an inundation； and an
entire province is incapable of supporting itself until the coming
year； in many places even an ordinary winter suffices to bring on
distress。 On all sides hands are seen outstretched to the king； who is
the universal almoner。 The people may be said to resemble a man
attempting to wade through a pool with the water up to his chin； and
who； losing his footing at the slightest depression； sinks down and
drowns。 Existent charity and the fresh spirit of humanity vainly
strive to rescue them； the water has risen too high。 It must subside
to a lower level； and the pool be drawn off through some adequate
outlet。 Thus far the poor man catches breath only at intervals；
running the risk of drowning at every moment。
II。 THE PEASANTS。
The condition of the peasant during the last thirty years of the
Ancient Regime。 … His precarious subsistence。 … State of agriculture。
… Uncultivated farms。 … Poor cultivation。 … Inadequate wages。 … Lack
of comforts。
Between 1750 and 1760；＇25＇ the idlers who eat suppers begin to
regard with compassion and alarm the laborers who go without dinners。
Why are the latter so impoverished； and by what misfortune； on a soil
as rich as that of France； do those lack bread who grow the grain？ In
the first place many farms remain uncultivated； and； what is worse；
many are deserted。 According to the best observers 〃one…quarter of the
soil is absolutely lying waste。 。 。 。 Hundreds and hundreds of arpents
of heath and moor form extensive deserts。〃＇26＇ Let a person traverse
Anjou； Maine； Brittany； Poitou； Limousin； la Marche； Berry； Nivernais；
Bourbonnais and Auvergne； and he finds one…half of these provinces in
heaths； forming immense plains； all of which might be cultivated。〃 In
Touraine； in Poitou and in Berry they form solitary expanses of 30；000
arpents。 In one canton alone； near Preuilly； 40；000 arpents of good
soil consist of heath。 The agricultural society of Rennes declares
that two…thirds of Brittany is lying waste。 This is not sterility but
decadence。 The régime invented by Louis XIV has produced its effect；
the soil for a century past has been reverting to a wild state。
〃We see only abandoned and ruinous chateaux； the principal towns
of the fiefs； in which the nobility formerly lived at their ease； are
all now occupied by poor tenant herdsmen whose scanty labor hardly
suffices for their subsistence； and a remnant of tax ready to
disappear through the ruin of the proprietors and the desertion of the
settlers。〃
In the election district of Confolens a piece of property rented
for 2；956 livres in 1665； brings in only 900 livres in 1747。 On the
confines of la Marche and of Berry a domain which； in 166o； honorably
supported two seigniorial families is now simply a small unproductive
tenant…farm； 〃the traces of the furrows once made by the plow…iron
being still visible on the surrounding heaths。〃 Sologne； once
flourishing；＇27＇ becomes a marsh and a forest； a hundred years earlier
it produced three times the quantity of grain； two…thirds of its mills
are gone； not a vestige of its vineyards remains； 〃grapes have given
way to the heath。〃 Thus abandoned by the spade and the plow； a vast
portion of the soil ceases to feed man； while the rest； poorly
cultivated； scarcely provides the simplest necessities＇28＇。
In the first place； on the failure of a crop； this portion remains
untilled； its occupant is too poor to purchase seed； the intendant is
often obliged to distribute seed； without which the disaster of the
current year would be followed by sterility the following year＇29＇。
Every calamity； accordingly； in these days affects the future as well
as the present； during the two years of 1784 and 1785； around
Toulouse； the drought having caused the loss of all draft animals；
many of the cultivators are obliged to let their fields lie fallow。 In
the second place； cultivation； when it does take place； is carried on
according to medieval modes。 Arthur Young； in 1789； considers that
French agriculture has not progressed beyond that of the tenth
century＇30＇。 Except in Flanders and on the plains of Alsace； the
fields lie fallow one year out of three； and oftentimes one year out
of two。 The implements are poor； there are no plows made of iron； in
many places the plow of Virgil's time is still in use。 Cart…axles and
wheel…tires are made of wood； while a harrow often consists of the
trestle of a cart。 There are few animals and but little manure； the
capital bestowed on cultivation is three times less than that of the
present day。 The yield is slight： 〃our ordinary farms；〃 says a good
observer； 〃taking one with another return about six times the seed
sown。〃＇31＇ In 1778； on the rich soil around Toulouse； wheat returns
about five for one； while at the present day it yields eight to one
and more。 Arthur Young estimates that； in his day； the English acre
produces twenty…eight bushels of grain； and the French acre eighteen
bushels； and that the value of the total product of the same area for
a given length of time is thirty…six pounds sterling in England and
only twenty…five in France。 As the parish roads are frightful； and
transportation often impracticable； it is clear that； in remote
cantons； where poor soil yields scarcely three times the seed sown；
food is not always obtainable。 How do they manage to live until the
next crop？ This is the question always under consideration previous
to； and during； the Revolution。 I find； in manuscript correspondence；
the syndics and mayors of villages estimating the quantities for local
subsistence at so many bushels in the granaries； so many sheaves in
the barns； so many mouths to be filled； so many days to wait until
the August wheat comes in； and concluding on short supplies for
two； three and four months。 Such a state of inter…communication and of
agriculture condemns a country to periodical famines； and I venture to
state that； alongside of the small…pox which out of eight deaths
causes one； another endemic disease exists； as prevalent and as
destructive； and this disease is starvation。
We can easily imagine that it is the common people； and especially
the peasants who suffers。 An increase of the price of bread prevents
him from getting any； and even without that increase； he obtains it
with difficulty。 Wheat bread cost； as today； three sous per pound；＇32＇
but as the average day's work brought only nineteen sous instead of
forty； the day…l